Out of the Blue Too Art Gallery, not what many would consider the first choice for a night of live musical entertainment. Right in the center of Central Square in Cambridge, surrounded by larger marquee venues like Middle East and TT the Bear’s, the art gallery just recently started making an effort towards hosting its own brand of music in its quirky space. And Providence boys, A Troop of Echoes, perhaps in an effort to mark themselves in this brand new space, decided to host the first date in their East Coast tour at Out of the Blue Too and marked the show in celebration of the release of their album The Longest Year on Record.
As I wandered into the gallery, I was a bit taken aback by the minimalist and lackadaisical setup. There were people pretty much lounging on the carpeted ground and on sofas loosely surrounding the barest definition of a stage. I immediately was greeted by an old friend in Doug Wartman. Having seen him open for The Dodos in the past, it was a great treat to see this local guitar virtuoso on the bill. Doug is usually highlighted by his ability to fingerpick lines into heavier guitar hooks to create an impressive weave of sound. And this was definitely true as the layered melodies swept the audience into a world of wonder and disbelief, at least for a short while.
The duo known simply as The Rococo Bang followed a short set by Doug and brought a sharper and fuzzier energy to the space. Heavy distorted guitar riffs bounced off drum beats and fills in a bit of an empty instrumental sound. There were bits and pieces of both psychedelic rock and post-rock in the mix, but it felt like a work in process as the two musicians abruptly ended their set in what felt like the middle of a song. But, that being said, it definitely upped the energy of the crowd and got them off their butts for a bit.
After The Rococo Bang, I wandered the gallery for a bit. I will have to admit that the chance to admire local art while bands setup for the next act was a great time in comparison to awkwardly standing around with a beer in hand. Catching some displayed work from Adric Giles of Pile fame was a nice surprise. That being said, it still felt a bit awkward as everyone else meandered amongst the space as well.
A Troop of Echoes came on the stage to bring their own brand of instrumental post-rock to the small but lively crowd at Out of the Blue. I will say that it is a bit strange to hear music you would expect from artists like Mogwai with a saxophone in the mix. Some would say that it might even be a little tacky and gimmicky. But, despite the strangeness of the idea, it works. Saxophonist Peter Gilli carries most of the lead melodies while the rest of the band provides the rising and falling scenery for it to shine through. It doesn’t fall into the trap of feeling forced around the saxophone either as it feels closer to a sliver of the bigger puzzle that is A Troop of Echoes. Creating a tighter and fuller sound than any of the other artists before hand, the band showed that they were all about showcasing themselves and hopefully taking another step, artfully but predictably centering their set around the new album.
In a surprising ending to a night meant to celebrate A Troop of Echoes, locals Battle House brought another layer to the largely instrumental bill with some vocals. Ironically, I got some shades of early Battles in their calculated performance, which I unfortunately didn’t get to stay for all of. That being said, despite leaving early, I didn’t have a sense of relief as I walked through those doors. Battle House, A Troop of Echoes, the rest of the bill, and even Out of the Blue subtly but surely worked their way towards an experience that I never would have expected when I first walked into the small and honestly odd art gallery: a solid one.