Last night in Santa Fe all the charged particles connected in one place. I can tell you for certain that had CERN been looking for the Higgs Boson at the Corazon they would have found it.
Retribution Gospel Choir was doing a sound check as I took my pint from the bartender. They played Wonderful Tonight, well most of it, as if to tell us that if we waited patiently we would be rewarded. They did not lie.
RGC began playing and did not stop for a moment. I remember being amazed. I remembered feeling underfoot. It seemed like I could go on forever this way. Not indie, not hipster, but rock n’ rolling for the first time in generations. Let us be honest. It is what we are all trying to find.
Anywhere
Like a lost message
And they did stop for just a moment to tell us they had two songs left. Like they were saying, “hey kids we are coming down now”.
The whole time Retribution Gospel Choir played two people danced the most, hooted and hollered the loudest, and sung along. Those two people were Peter and Brian of Peter Wolf Crier.
Though the number of people on the stage diminished, from three to two, the intensity did not. One thing kept running around in my brain all day; how were Peter and Brian going to take an album that was so dense and convert it into a live show. The answer is, they didn’t. They clearly took songs that are lush and verdant and recorded them the way they are. These two gentleman play, if Brian is to be believed, folk music. If it is, it is a folk that owes more to Muddy Waters than Peter, Paul, and Mary. I would call it rock but no ones asking.
Peter Wolf Crier exhibited songs that they have to paint anew everyday. Though last night the colors were a little brighter and the pace more fevered. They played like the stars were aligned and the smiles shone on their faces. Peter sits while he plays guitar in order to control a massive bank of pedals, and even he got swept away by the magic at times and could not help but jump up.
Well not to make it seem less than it is
Retribution Gospel Choir played
And so did Peter Wolf Crier.
It was good,
It was very good.
Thank you guys for coming to Santa Fe, you are welcome anytime. I have a futon for you.
If you do not own Peter Wolf Crier’s debut Inter-Be or Retribution Gospel Choir’s 2. You are short two of the best albums of the past year. Buy them.
And if you are in their path as they continue to tour. Go see them. I bought a ticket for ten dollars and feel like I owe them more money.
