|
Words by Haig Assadourian :: Images by Tony Stack
Wolfmother :: 05.22 :: Bluebird Theater :: Denver, CO
Andrew Stockdale - Wolfmother :: 05.22 :: Denver, CO |
The bold pronouncement upon the marquee read "Best Show of the Year." And so with that expectation, a sold-out Bluebird Theater welcomed the new rock gods from "Down Under" to Denver. The power trio of Andrew Stockdale (guitar/vocals), Chris Ross (bass/organ) and Myles Heskett (drums) leaped onto the stage, spurring the small venue to roar in fist-pumping anticipation.
With little introduction, Wolfmother fed off the energy and dove into "Dimension" and its Sabbath-inspired riffs. Three songs into a performance that included a raw "Apple Tree," Stockdale admitted to a chink in the armor - he was losing his voice. Stockdale's vocals, which normally make him out to be Ozzy Osbourne and Jack White's love child, may have been stretched thin over a long string of shows across the U.S. And when a band's sound is about power, a strained voice can't help but be noticed. To make matters worse, the sound at the Bluebird was muddied by an overpowering humming bass that further challenged the vocals. Stockdale promised to make up for this by jumping higher.
Chris Ross - Wolfmother
05.22 :: Denver, CO |
It was Ross, however, who deserved a gold medal for high jumps, pouncing, and organ twirling throughout the show. Besides his dominating bass lines, Ross's keyboard/synth combo (literally held together by duct tape) delivered plenty of psychedelic interludes amongst their songs and was the show's energy pack.
"Love Train" and "Woman" filled out the middle of the set and showcased moments of guitar brilliance. As the show wore on, the crowd packed in tighter up front despite the attempts to mosh by a few hearty but misguided souls. Stockdale and Ross did their best to join the fun, leaping about at every opportunity. Ross didn't play his keyboard as much as attack it, wrenching it in every direction, often suspending it above the audience. When he switched back to bass, he simply left the keyboard on its side like a child moving on to the next toy.
The finale, "Mind's Eye," was introduced by a cacophonous organ jam that fed into a Deep Purple-style psychedelic romp. And then, they were done. An eight-song, hour-long set is forgivable from a trio with a single album's worth of material and a singer with a raw throat, but it highlighted a lack of musical exploration.
Andrew Stockdale - Wolfmother :: 05.22 :: Denver, CO |
It's tempting to write off Wolfmother as derivative of heavy metal icons of decades past, but there's something satisfying about their vein of heavy blues rock and they pull it off quite well. Their eponymous debut album is packed with catchy riffs. Live, those riffs were sometimes lost in the mix as the band succumbed to the love of speed and energy, but they showed vast potential. Even bands like Led Zeppelin were prone to some sloppy live play, but the good ones were able to find a balance of tempo in their shows that alleviated the strain on musicianship and the singer's voice. Here's hoping Wolfmother find a pace they can sustain and get a chance to grow beyond their hype.
JamBase | Denver
Go See Live Music!
|
