Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Gardens & Villa/Crystal Antlers live

Gardens & Villa
Crystal Antlers
Casa De La Raza-Cesar Chavez Community Center
Santa Barbara, CA  
24 February, 2012

Club Mercy continues to deepen their impact on the live music scene in Santa Barbara, branching out beyond their usual venues to bring Casa De La Raza (Cesar Chavez Community Center) into the fold for a special homecoming show honoring S.B.'s own Gardens & Villa.

Garden & Villa, blog buzz favorites on the strength of their debut album on Secretly Canadian, are looking to blow up big...The question being: Will their fate be 'Toad The Wet Sprocket/Ugly Kid Joe,  or Katy Perry'.   They played a convincing set, sprinkling in a handful of new songs which seemed to give them an energy boost.  The main stage lights were down for all but one song of their set, and they spent a few songs coming to grips with an uneven sound mix, but once they hit their stride, the floor was a whirling mass of dancing bodies.  It will be interesting to see where they go next.


In the opening slot, Crystal Antlers, (from Long Beach), played their first show in Santa Barbara. Sweat was shed due to a van breakdown in Ventura, but they made it to the church on time and, sans sound check, proceeded to turn in a devastating set of off kilter jams, at times recalling everything from The Minutemen to The Who, but with their own particular stamp. Truly, a power trio to keep an eye on.

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