Neutral Uke Hotel

I was super excited going in to Thursday night's Neutral Uke Hotel set at Cameo Gallery - I had heard great things and seen some cool videos online of the ukulele tribute band. When I heard that they were going to play In The Aeroplane Over The Sea in its entirety, that excitement intensified; that album is, in my estimation, one of the best ever made. At the beginning of the tribute, singer Shawn Fogel made it clear that the band was not attempting to replicate Neutral Milk Hotel. "This isn't about us," he said, gesturing to the band behind him on stage. "This is about all of us here singing along and paying our respects to one of our favorite albums." The good vibes were well placed, and the crowd complied, belting out Jeff Mangum's songs like they had so many times before in cars, showers, and bedrooms. It was uplifting, beautiful, and touching - a reminder of the community forged by transcendent music.