Belated: Apostle of Hustle, the Duhks, Sloan at Summerstage
The afternoon was sizzling on Saturday, and most people didn’t dare get up from their blankets spread over the green carpet of Central Park’s Summerstage. But Apostle of Hustle’s charming frontman Andrew Whitman didn’t appear alarmed. He began by saying “Happy Pride Day,” and went on to play “My Sword’s Anger” and the title track from their newest, National Anthem of Nowhere. His pool of random behavior – like displaying a scarf before blindfolding himself for no reason – was good for morale throughout.
The opening band was Winnipeg’s The Duhks, glittering with the spark of a Grammy nomination for Best Country Vocal Performance by a Group or Duo. Charged with a fiddle and a style inspired by genres all over the world (folk, samba, country, soul), there was no denying their on-stage talent. Posted below is “Death Came a Knockin,” which earned some sing-along cred, taken from a radio performance on KGNU Radio Boulder.
More after the jump.
In addition to Andrew Whitman’s affair with the guitar (and glamorous moves), two percussionists and bassist Julian Brown’s back-up singing drove the show. Though I didn’t think the merit of their albums fully translated (and despite the sun beating down on us), it was a good set to catch. Performance of “Folkloric Feel” was noteworthy to me. From Folkloric Feel they also played “Energy of Death” and “Kings and Queens,” and from National Anthem of Nowhere there was plenty.
Whitman was talkative throughout. He re-told the tale of a pony rider set out to meet his man, sharing with his ride (out of Canadian genoristy) the supply of ecstacy and pot he has discovered in each hand. The mention of President Stephen Harper triggered a weak response, but that of George Bush a loud roar, and Whitman wondered how many Canadians were present. He also asked whose decision it was to coincide Central Park’s Canadian celebrations w/ pride weekend and what the implication was.
Singer Sarah Dugas – a newish addition to the Duhks – has a big, blues-y voice to go with entirely amiable personality, whereas Tania Elizabeth was fire on the fiddle. Their set, too, paid special attention to percussion. Drummer Scott Senior was seated behind an assortment of percussive instruments, a whistle around his neck. When the band left the stage for his solo and Sarah returned to sing a Brazilian song, it was a stellar moment.
I stayed for the first few Sloan songs to decide whether or not they’d be worth enduring more of the heat and exhaustion for. I concluded they weren’t, even though one could say they were “rocking out”. The enthusiastic bassist mouthed “What’s wrong with you?” to the seated audience, but a lot more people had gotten up by the time I left.
