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Smitten
Getting charmed by Spoon, a Stone, and the Specific Heats
BY ELISABETH DONNELLY
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A free Hatch Shell show on the banks of the Charles River is a test of rock-and-roll fortitude: there’s muddy sound, the band members invariably look like ants, and the audience comprises high-school students, aging hipsters with toddlers, and just-out-of-work twentysomethings in "Defend Allston" T-shirts. A week ago Thursday, Spoon proved up to the challenge while openers Longwave were underwhelming. The latter played a bland set of wanna-be U2/Coldplay arena rock that might possibly work in a club. Outdoors, the guitars blended into one another, and the native New Yorkers deemed the seated audience "ornery." The sky was opalescent as Spoon came out to school the kids in how nervy, dynamic rock can translate into open-air nights. Britt Daniel, a stretched-out sexy elf of a frontman with a Southern swagger, wore his typical fitted shirt and played ragged guitar to go with his hoarse-from-touring voice. "The Beast and Dragon, Adored" and the Rolling Stones–ish riff of "I Turn My Camera On" brought that ornery crowd to its feet. And as the sun set, Spoon returned for an encore. "Josh says this is rock ’n’ roll time," Daniel noted. "It’s just getting dark." The band said goodnight with a quick and nasty "Metal Detecktor" and "Jonathan Fisk" before curfew. The ending was slightly anti-climatic, and as the crowd dispersed onto the streets and the T, the Red Line to Braintree was overtaken by garrulous teenagers. One of them was overheard rating Britt’s pop "pretty good, although I mostly listen to punk rock." Where would some of Spoon’s best riffs be without the Stones’ Ronnie Wood? This topic did not come up for discussion at the opening last Friday night of Wood’s art show at 29 Newbury Street. As Stones songs like "Street Fighting Man" and "Miss You" (the latter made the band’s soundcheck that night over at Fenway Park) alternated with canned muzak over the loudspeaker, a well-heeled crowd ate cheese and talked about Wood’s work. Oddest Wood portrait subject: Sid Vicious. The artist himself was not there, though buyers were promised a meeting with him at a later date. (Wood couldn’t appear at the event because of his security requirements.) Attendees in suits and Chucks discussed Stones side projects; the only woman in a rhinestone Stones shirt asked the only dude in a Stones T-shirt whether he was going to the shows over the weekend. He was Italian; a halting conversation about Stones fandom ensued. If all of rock and roll is a spectrum with the Stones at one end, the other end is occupied by a Saturday-night basement show in Boston. Last Saturday, a clean-cut scene of fresh-faced boys and girls turned out to see the Specific Heats, Smittens, Surefire Broadcast, and B for Brontosaurus — all of them co-ed — playing sweet indie pop in Allston. The small crowd of about 30 munched on pizza under twinkling Christmas lights and hand-printed posters of the Modern Lovers logo. B for Brontosaurus had boy-girl harmonies like a funnier, smarter Mates of State; Zombies fans the Specific Heats ended the night with catchy surf guitar and sticky hooks on songs like "Take the Wheel." It was refreshing to see the way these bands pursued rock — somewhat twee, but well aware of the dynamic fundamentals of guitar, bass, and drums. Somebody might have said it, or maybe they didn’t, but the kids are alright. Elisabeth Donnelly can be reached at elisabeth.donnelly@hotmail.com
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