The night started out surprisingly sparse, but there was a certain electricity in the air. As the night progressed, the crowd filed in like unwilling jurors to court - sorry they were late, but knowing that they were supposed to be there. The evening’s opener was Amy Cook, a self-proclaimed melodramatic pop songstress from Austin, Texas. Cook’s songs were well written, floaty, and somewhat misleading for what the rest of the evening had in store--that is until members of Hacienda and Heartless Bastards joined her on stage and set the tone for the rest of the evening.
Hacienda came on next, offering a classic pop-rock sound reminiscent of the Rolling Stones, if the Stones had grown up on California surf. Berbati’s Pan was nearly full by the time they took the stage, and a handful of adolescent girls found their way to the front in anticipation of having their face melted off. And they got what they came for, along with everyone else in the room. Hacienda is clearly influenced by the days of yore, and it was evident throughout their look and sound. They were a solid opener for Heartless Bastards, and they seemed as though they would be a difficult act to follow.
Heartless Bastards took the stage to finish the evening and did so with resounding force. As soon as the first note was played, panic ensued and everyone pressed against the stage as if their lives depended on it. The majority of their set was in clear support of their new album, The Mountain, and it seemed as though Erika Wennerstrom channeled David Coverdale to get her through the set. One young lady was so enthused that she expressed her appreciation by eyeing the bassist, Jesse Ebaugh, and orally pleasing the air in front of her.
If you get the chance, I highly suggest checking out Heartless Bastards' live show. They'll be touring through August, wrapping up at Portland's Pickathon Festival on the 6th and 7th.
