Pinegrove @ The Sunflower Lounge, 9th September 2016
In the wake of the recent passing of the delightful Gene Wilder, I had cause to revisit his autobiography (Kiss Me Like A Stranger) and its refreshingly unique take on how a venture of this nature could be relayed to the reader. Rather than attempting to capture every step he had taken upon his journey thus far, he instead, opted to draw out only those key decisions and the subsequent events that arose from those choices that truly impacted his art and his personal life.
To highlight how any decision, no matter how inconsequential or trivial could alter the course of your life, Wilder employs the notion of venturing out from New York’s Plaza Hotel on a warm spring day. Before too long you arrive at the Plaza fountain. Surrounding the fountain are people from all walks of life. The decision you are faced with is whether to go left or right around the fountain – Wilder reflects upon these moments with the following: “I believe that whichever choice you make could change your life. I’m sure that everyone has had these mysterious brushes with irony, perhaps referring to them years later as almost fate”.
Though some might argue a mightily tenuous connection, after the joy of watching Pinegrove in such an intimate environment tonight, Wilder’s point chimed perfectly with my own thoughts. How grateful I was for having decided to click on a seemingly random YouTube link at the latter part of 2015. This led me to discover a band, which for the first time in many years, appear to have consumed my listening habits since the release of their debut album ‘Cardinal’ in February of this year.
Hailing from Montclair, New Jersey, the band have travelled some distance to fulfil their obligation to play a number of snug venues across the UK. Of course, this is part of the natural progression of any band worth giving a damn about. Rather than relying upon a heavily greased campaign that flings itself, wholly uninvited, into every conceivable media outlet, Pinegrove are employing a more organic approach. The evolution of Pinegrove thus far, and beyond, will undoubtedly see their fanbase grow, and it will have been earned by toiling in the likes of tonight’s setting and will grow through word of mouth, surely the greatest endorsement for any band. It would be naive to think that success, recognition, and the financial rewards that come with such plaudits are not exempt from the minds of artists, the point being that such thoughts are not the primary motivation for the musicians assembled in Birmingham’s The Sunflower Lounge tonight.
Those of you that have frequented The Sunflower Lounge will be well aware that the venue does not afford a band the opportunity to emerge on stage from sanctity of some privileged retreat backstage. Instead, Pinegrove are required to meander their way through the sold out venue before taking their positions behind their chosen instruments, albeit, with one notable exception. Lead singer, Evan Stephens Hall, is delayed somewhat, but eventually finds his way through the crowd, before taking his place front and centre.
In addition to Evans Stephens Hall (Vocals and Guitar), the band are comprised of Zack Levine (Drums), Nick Levine (Guitar), Adan Carlo (Bass) and Nandi Plunkett (Keyboard). The latter performs in her own right under the name of Half Waif and it’s a disappointment to discover that Plunkett’s solo offerings are on show via one of the support slots for tonight’s show.
It is evident from the outset that Pinegrove’s time invested in performing live has allowed them to really mould each song into a slightly different proposition to what is documented in their minimal output thus far. In addition to the subtle flourishes that appear every now and again, there is the sound of confidence flowing through every song. Not that either variation is inferior to the other. They both reward the listener for their endeavours. Stephens Hall’s voice in particular appears to have transcended to another echelon. It is as vulnerable as ever it was, but the power with which he is able to summon at will demands that the hairs on the back of my neck will be exhausted come the end of the night.
The audience are in fine voice too. For much of the night they proceed to belt out the lyrics to much of the setlist. The room are fully with the band from the very beginning as songs like ’Cadmium’, ‘Angelina’ and ‘New Friends’ harpoon the room and reel them in. If you have not already, a listen to Pinegrove should be placed at the top of your to do list. To witness them live is also a must. No doubt they will be back around these parts at some point down the line, in all likelihood, it will be at a much larger venue.
Review: Chris Curtis