Papercuts (with Camera Obscura) @ Music Hall of Williamsburg, 11/22/09

0
109

The trick to all successful shows at the MHOW is to pick up your tickets and then spend the hour between doors open and opening act at the Lovin Cup Café, where Miller High Life’s are $4 and so is a heaping plate of tater-tots- Remember this. This is important.

Once your belly is full of twice-fried goodness, some carbonation and maybe a quick shot of Makers to settle it all down, check into one of the best music venues in all of NYC. Even at a sold out show for melodic-pop icons Camera Obscura and supporting act Papercuts, there are a hundred nooks, crannies and elevated vantage points for proper concert viewing which counts a lot for a 5’2”-tall investigative reviewer.

After securing the perfect spot, it was simply a feel-it and sway scenario with Papercuts and Camera Obscura’s one-two punch amicable ruffling of the hair.

Papercuts is music by songwriter and singer Jason Quever, with traveling band members Graham Hill (Drums), David Enos (keys), and Frankie Koeller (Bass), over from San Francisco. Their performance of soft, sad and contained rock melodies felt intimate even in a hall packed to its 550 capacity. At my perch from the balcony I was reminded of an evening with Low at the Bowery years ago, just before Christmas, where the vibe was calm, bittersweet and an aura of compassion seemed to flow from microphone to audience members, soaking into the walls. This pre-Thanksgiving show with Papercuts had that same effect, and somehow I was thankful for the sadness in the melodies, which resonated with the tone of my year and my November.

If you’ve never heard You Can Have What You Want, the ultimate driving song, the ultimate crying song, the ultimate soft sound of soma, I urge you to put down the Morrissey for a minute because you have a new thread to wear.

Papercuts were performing in support of Camera Obscura’s wider tour, which spans through January 2010. Papercuts was on tour with the band until December 3rd.

Rochelle Fainstein

Related Posts with Thumbnails

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here