Anticipation can be tough. We really like most of the artists we review here on melophobe. However, there are a few shows that we REALLY look forward to. These are the ones that are highlighted and circled as soon as the tours are announced. More often than not, however, these anticipated shows do not live up to our expectations. The ones that do are pretty special. This preamble obviously means that we were pretty excited about Death Vessel's concert at Harpers Ferry in Allston. And, happily, they fulfilled expectations.
Joel Thibodeau of Death Vessel is very much like what you might expect after listening to his music: quiet, unassuming, small in stature, friendly and gracious. Point in case: when offered a drink by a fan before the show, Joel seemed genuinely surprised, and only after the fan's insistence did he accept the offer, followed by more than a few public words of thanks. On stage, Joel is much the same. Not much banter went on between song. And when it did, it was usually by guitar/banjo/ukelele player Don Larson, in response to an errant comment from the crowd (play "Mandarin Dink!"). When Joel spoke, he kept it short. Like his response to constant requests for "Horchata": "Sorry. We can't do that one tonight."
While Death Vessel didn't play "Deep in the Horchata," much to the dismay of the above-mentioned fan, the songs they did play were stunning. Joel's voice soared above the upright bass (Micah Blue Smaldone), electric guitar/banjo/ukulele (Don Larson) and drums (Mike Savage), filling the confines of Harpers Ferry with his delicate alto. Joel, himself, manned the guitar and mandolin, as the quartet recreated the nuanced folk-Americana (and in a few cases, straight-up rock) musical backdrop of Death Vessel's two releases. While the deeper meaning behind many of Death Vessel's lyrics still eludes us, Joel's delivery makes them irresistible. The whole experience was, quite simply, moving.
Most of the songs were faithful recreations of Death Vessel's studio work (minus some of the more obscure instruments). An obvious exception was the performance "Mandan Dink," off of 2005's Stay Close. A lyrically eerie song about Joel's elementary school music teacher seeking advice on death from a long-dead Native American spirit, it features Micah Blue Smaldone as second vocalist, who was on upright bass, and had earlier played a strong acoustic solo set. On the recorded cut, Smaldone's vocals are upbeat and punchy, perfectly contrasting Joel's melodic voice and the song's somber theme. The result is a wonderfully catchy tune with surprising depth. Live, Smaldone's delivery was dreamy and haunting, consistent with other elements of the presentation, however not as satisfying as the original. A minor complaint really.
Despite the high expectation placed up on this show, we came away completely happy. If you haven't already, pick up a copy of Nothing Is Precious Enough For Us and go see Death Vessel perform. It is truly a special experience.
