Last minute plans lead to discovery in Brooklyn
Last minute plans are the best kind. Like when a friend calls you on a Sunday afternoon because she has an extra ticket to a show in Brooklyn that night. Like when my friend Mary called to ask if I’d like to see Elvis Perkins and Patrick Watson at the Luna Lounge (361 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn).
The fact that I had no idea who these people were, yet she spoke so highly of them, piqued my curiosity. Later I’d discover another fact that made the evening even more interesting. Mary (a girl who works for an airline and has been known to hop off to Seattle or Switzerland or wherever for a weekend) had never even set foot in Brooklyn. I still find this hard to believe.
Anyway, when we got to the Luna, we had to wait outside for a little while. I saw owner Rob Sacher, who was working the door. Mary thought this was interesting and I told her, one of the things that makes this (and its Manhattan predecessor) such a great place is Rob’s ‘hands-on’ management approach. He is very much involved in the booking of bands and the running of shows. A quality I find necessary in any successful live venue.
Patrick Watson’s group had the more experimental sound of the night. A mix of lush songs, haunting vocals coupled with a fresh, clean prog-rock sensibility. The end result was quite moving and altogether original. The legitimacy of the songs was never lost in the uniqueness of the sound and vice-versa. It was a balancing act that Watson and his group handled very, very well.
Elvis Perkins is a modern-day troubadour whose songs tell stories of life and heartache. His melancholy is well rooted and honest. I’d read later that his father Anthony Perkins (of ‘Psycho’ fame) died of aids and his mother was killed on 9/11. His band had a more traditional, Americana-style set up and they laid out a strong foundation for his tales.
On the way out, I commented to owner Rob Sacher how well the two acts complimented each other’s style. It was a very good show and I was glad Mary had called. It just goes to show that some of my best experiences have simply come from that last minute call and me grabbing a pen, notebook and camera.
See Also:
Photo Gallery
Patrick Watson
Elvis Perkins
Luna Lounge
