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.

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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.

I missed the first of the many Apostle of Hustle NYC shows for Feist, but my friend (and fellow vinyl scavenger) Borchers fills us in:

Photo: Sam Horine

Apostle of Hustle played the first of their 3-week bi-city residencies last night at Mercury Lounge. Wednesday they fly to Chicago to play their other residence, Schuba’s Tavern. After I missed the first opener, Murder Mystery, and didn’t pay attention to the second, Ola Podrida, this Broken Social Sceneside-project (that’s an understatement, this is AoH’s second album tour) started out cool and calm, but then rocked out to their album’s title track, “National Anthem of Nowhere.” Apprently there was a scene at the foot of the stage when frontman Andrew Whiteman became a little too enthused in his drumming and knocked a tambourine into his red wine; at which point he requested a new glass (plastic cup) of “le Rouge.”

More after the jump.

Photo: Sam Horine

The band, obvious in their new obsession with Latin music, played a mostly instrumental “Fast Pony For Victor Jara” next. Whiteman was concerned about his audience’s attention span, so he gave us a story to think about while listening. Imagine a pony express rider, with one saddle bag full of pot, the other full of ecstacy, riding into town holding in one hand, the head of Stephen Harper (the Canadian prime minsiter), and in the other, the head of George W. This is what he told us was the American version of his story.

Somewhere near the end of the first set, the band decided to decorate the stage with a string of flags, which reminded me more of a street fair than the intended fiesta vibe (I could be mistaken). For the set break, rather than scurrying to the back of the room, the trio enjoyed a beer together at the front of the stage before rejoining for a couple of last numbers.

Photo of Apostle of Hustle playing the Primavera Festival in Spain by Michael Morel.
The show was solid; the venue looked kind of empty, as a lot of fans must have been watching fellow Broken Social Scene member Feist at Town Hall. I was also pretty dissappointed with there being no merchandise for sale. But the show was a good time, I plan on catching them again before they finish their tour of duty. They will be back at the Mecury Lounge the next 2 Mondays, and are playing the Canada Day show at Central Park Summer Stage on June 24th.

Mercury Lounge
June 11, 2007

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Previously:

• Stars – Do You Trust Your Friends?
• Apostle of Hustle – NYC dates

Yes, it is happening: Not only are Apostle of Hustle coming to town, they’re coming for 5 dates including one at Summerstage. Tickets aren’t on sale yet.

June 11- Mercury Lounge
June 17 – Union Hall, Brooklyn
June 18 – Mercury Lounge
June 24 – Central Park Summerstage
June 25 – Mercury Lounge

The National Anthem of Nowhere is a pretty good album, but I’ve also been really enjoying their Stars mix of “One More Night.” But for now here’s the opening track “My Sword Hand’s Anger,” a nice Apostle-flavored bite.