Set List:
Ripton Gulch
Bud 'n Mary
Before The Fall
Night King
Their Faces
Bag of Sin
Blues Run the Aged
Cold Cold
Trains
I hadn't heard of Avi & Celia prior to this week - a friend of mine mentioned that they were coming in, and it was a good oppertunity to get together, so I got a chance to see them live, and to check out the Langdon Street Cafe, as far as music goes. Avi & Celia got together while studying at the University of Vermont, and they've been writing music and playing together for a couple of years now. Drawing numerous influences from blues, bluegrass, folk and soul, they have a sound that's reminicent of Grace Potter & the Nocturnals and Jesse & Joy. While they have the general sound, they've got a little ways to go before they reach that level, but they're off to a good start. I was able to speak with Celia, who was extremely pleasant and appreciative of the audience, while small, seemed to come out just for them - the crowd thinned quickly after they left the stage. The first thing that struck me was Celia's voice - very strong and with a good vocal range. They've got a good amount of energy behind their music as well. Celia's the stronger of the two vocally, while Avi seemed to know his way around the guitar a little better. While he sounds better on their album, in concert he stuck out a little more, sounding a little out of tune at times. Other times they really click, such as with Night King, Their Faces and Trains. These guys have a good sound, and they're a group to keep an eye on - They just toured with the Wailin' Jennys, and I suspect that they'll get together with a couple of other bands as time goes on. One thing that I did note is that they can hold up spectacularly well without an accompanying bass and drum set. Their guitar and vocal work alone holds together really well, and according to my friends, they've gotten better over time. It would be really interesting to see the pair with the backups, and I think that it would help support a couple of their songs. In any case, I'll keep an eye on them for when they come back up here. Finally, they certainly have some good stage chrisma - with a fantastic and very literal exit off the stage mid-song, and with a good amount of audience interaction during and after the performance.
Next Up - Guster & Brett Denne and A Fine Frenzy & Brandi Carlile
