On an evening that started with a literal bang, there was a booming lineup of music at Gypsy Sally’s on Wednesday.
As Jesse Teer of The Senators got ready to play an intimate acoustic set in the Vinyl Lounge, a fan’s e-cigarette suddenly exploded. The bartender said it happened so fast that no one realized what was going on until they saw the sparks coming out of his pocket.
“It looked like a firecracker was in his pants,” said Teer. The unlucky fan did get a selfie with Teer before heading to the hospital. He had been follower of The Senators since hearing their music at Starbucks.
Teer recounted the dramatic scene during his set, saying, “It’s only going to get better from here.”
Wielding a guitar, a bass drum, and a harmonica, he was truly a one-man-band for the evening, often playing all three instruments simultaneously.
The Senators come from Phoenix, Arizona, and have a big year ahead. Not only do they have a new album on the horizon, but Teer and his wife are also expecting their first child.
He expressed he was excited, scared, and misses her a lot while on the road. He dedicated a couple of songs to her, including “Medicine Woman,” a song about how she can fix things “with just a look or with a touch.”
The bewitching qualities of the desert come alive in songs like “Monsoon” and their new EP “Coyotes,” celebrating the best parts of the summer: storms cooling down record temperatures and the magical times of falling in love.
The song “London Bridge,” arguably the best song of the night, puts an introspective lens over a Lake Havasu City tourist attraction that Arizonans know well.
Before we got to The Nightowls show next door, we heard Teer play Bruce Springsteen’s “I’m On Fire,” which seemed like a perfect pairing for his howling vocals and penchant for lyrics about his hometown.
In the main room at Gypsy Sally’s, The Nightowls show was well underway, as part of their Summer 2017 Tour.
By the time they reached us in D.C., the band had been on the road for a week, and they finally got the chance to run around in a city before the evening’s performance.
“And it feels a lot like home,” said frontman Ryan Harkrider.
The group played songs from their sound-defining single, Royal Sessions, including “Gotta Keep Movin’ On.” And like the song says, we are certain this band certainly will keep finding their way, pressing on.
They had a few new gems for us, like “Selfie Queen.” The band describes on their website that they are undergoing evolutions in the music they are making, and the way the whole band is now really responsible for all the music made.
Unlike their last D.C. show, the band was not dressed up in their suits and sparkles. The Gypsy Sally’s show was a bit more casual, but maybe in the way they are keeping some of their founding style, they did keep their Converse. Regardless of what they wear, this band works every minute of their live shows to increase the ‘dance-o-meter’ (Harkrider razzed the audience, waving his arm like a meter, gauging the dancing in the room).
Naturally, “Get Up!” was what got most people out of their seats and taking over the dancefloor. This is really the style that The Nightowls have been known for: retro, very danceable, and layers of instruments and vocal talents that remind us with each tune why a ten-piece band is a show of vitality. Even the horns section have their own choreography!
The Nightowls put on a show that was more than just catchy dance tunes.
“If you like it funky,” said Harkrider, “You’re gonna get funked up.” And the band dove into the soul-filled “The Feel Good.”
And as they closed out their set with their call-and-response heavy “Right Around The Corner,” it was like Austin became a whole lot closer to all of us.
Later, true to their band name, The Nightowls took a night photo at the Lincoln Memorial.
Keep good on that promise, and come back soon!
Photos and blog by Toby Mues and Cristina Rayas