As Ben Kweller takes the stage, I take a few minutes to look around at the fans now standing at Festival Pier in Philadelphia. The venue is basically a parking lot next to the Delaware River, and the sound seems less than ideal. The crowd responds to Kweller, an artist now touring as a solo act, but who has toured in the past with Ben Folds and Ben Lee. He is known to this group, as he has recorded a single with the night’s headline act, Guster.
I wish I can pay more attention to Kweller, who is shifting between his guitar and his piano, and sings in a solid yet subtle voice. But there are dark clouds on the horizon. Literally. And as the breeze kicks up, and the lightning appears in the distance, it is becoming increasingly clear that the Philadelphia meteorologists really do know what they are talking about. Kweller’s set ends, and although the performance area is covered, the stage crew comes out to cover the equipment in tarps. And then there is an announcement to seek shelter, but not without a promise......”We’re going to wait this one out.”
The worst of the lightning comes and goes, but a steady rain has begun to fall. Apparently, though, only lightning strikes will stop this show. Because, as promised, the tarps have been removed and Guster comes out onto the stage.
Guster begins with the song they have opened sets with in the past, the awesome “What You Wish For.” The song displays all of the bands best elements. The contrasting vocals of Ryan Miller and Adam Gardner, the bare-handed, bongo percussion of Brian Rosenworcel, the awesome bridge, and the big payoff that follows. But it is hard at first to fully appreciate the band, having recently seen them at the Beacon in New York City, because the sound system here is inferior. And the rain delay seems to have affected the band’s coordination.
Everybody watching the show is soaked, and just when the crowd should start getting cold, things are heating up. We are now oblivious to the elements as the band, known for its great live performances, is somehow beginning to deliver a classic show. The band engages its audience, displays a self effacing humor, and rips through classics and new tracks from their most recent LP, Ganging Up On the Sun. “Satellite” and “The Beginning of the End” blend with “Amsterdam” and “Fa-Fa.” The crowd can’t help but move to these songs, each finding a way to grab the listener and manipulate their emotions, building an irresistible energy. And Ryan plays to he crowd, changing the lyrics of Diane in an acknowledgment of the “Philadelphia rain” drenching the throng in front of him.
The peak to any Guster live performance is their “Airport Song,” and this is especially true tonight. The opening chord sends a charge through the already excited audience, and they scream with anticipation, quickly singing the opening lines as loudly as Adam. Brian, known to his fans as the Thundergod, pounds his drums, this night with flashes of lightning and sheets of rain helping him to set the mood. There is a simian quality to his frenzied attack, and the guitars feed off of his vigorous play. Brian’s voice flows through a pitch shifter, but it is the audience’s fever pitch that is most remarkable. “Who’s your daddy,” sings Adam, “I’m your daddy now.”
Despite the weather and the slow start, and despite the venue, Guster has once again demonstrated why they continue to be described as one of this generations great live bands. They send the fans out with two encores, including the sentimental favorite “Either Way.” And as they release the crowd, and people start towards the exit, more than a few have the same look on their face. A look that seems to say “When did it start raining like this?”
I wish I can pay more attention to Kweller, who is shifting between his guitar and his piano, and sings in a solid yet subtle voice. But there are dark clouds on the horizon. Literally. And as the breeze kicks up, and the lightning appears in the distance, it is becoming increasingly clear that the Philadelphia meteorologists really do know what they are talking about. Kweller’s set ends, and although the performance area is covered, the stage crew comes out to cover the equipment in tarps. And then there is an announcement to seek shelter, but not without a promise......”We’re going to wait this one out.”
The worst of the lightning comes and goes, but a steady rain has begun to fall. Apparently, though, only lightning strikes will stop this show. Because, as promised, the tarps have been removed and Guster comes out onto the stage.
Guster begins with the song they have opened sets with in the past, the awesome “What You Wish For.” The song displays all of the bands best elements. The contrasting vocals of Ryan Miller and Adam Gardner, the bare-handed, bongo percussion of Brian Rosenworcel, the awesome bridge, and the big payoff that follows. But it is hard at first to fully appreciate the band, having recently seen them at the Beacon in New York City, because the sound system here is inferior. And the rain delay seems to have affected the band’s coordination.
Everybody watching the show is soaked, and just when the crowd should start getting cold, things are heating up. We are now oblivious to the elements as the band, known for its great live performances, is somehow beginning to deliver a classic show. The band engages its audience, displays a self effacing humor, and rips through classics and new tracks from their most recent LP, Ganging Up On the Sun. “Satellite” and “The Beginning of the End” blend with “Amsterdam” and “Fa-Fa.” The crowd can’t help but move to these songs, each finding a way to grab the listener and manipulate their emotions, building an irresistible energy. And Ryan plays to he crowd, changing the lyrics of Diane in an acknowledgment of the “Philadelphia rain” drenching the throng in front of him.
The peak to any Guster live performance is their “Airport Song,” and this is especially true tonight. The opening chord sends a charge through the already excited audience, and they scream with anticipation, quickly singing the opening lines as loudly as Adam. Brian, known to his fans as the Thundergod, pounds his drums, this night with flashes of lightning and sheets of rain helping him to set the mood. There is a simian quality to his frenzied attack, and the guitars feed off of his vigorous play. Brian’s voice flows through a pitch shifter, but it is the audience’s fever pitch that is most remarkable. “Who’s your daddy,” sings Adam, “I’m your daddy now.”
Despite the weather and the slow start, and despite the venue, Guster has once again demonstrated why they continue to be described as one of this generations great live bands. They send the fans out with two encores, including the sentimental favorite “Either Way.” And as they release the crowd, and people start towards the exit, more than a few have the same look on their face. A look that seems to say “When did it start raining like this?”
by Mike
