Wrapping up a busy 2014 in support of their 2013 record, Wildewoman, Lucius played the House of Blues on Dec. 20. The five-piece band from Brooklyn brought their indelible harmonies, retro-future sound and incredible fashion sense to a city that may have already checked out for the holidays. But many were out to support Calling All Crows and the headliner, Chadwick Stokes.
Front women Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig, clad in mirror dresses that acted as a disco ball for the venue at times, didn’t just shine because of their dresses. The duo harmonizes so well – and they are almost always singing the lyrics together, which multiplies the sound creating a chorus effect.
The band opened their set with the slow-burner “Go Home,” which really embodied the band’s strengths. The trio of Dan Molad, Peter Lalish and Andrew Burri comprise the various backing percussion and strings (and they themselves wearing matching, dashing white suits). They came out to play an extended introduction before Wolfe and Laessig emerged to deliver the crushing chorus “I don’t need you anyway / I don’t need you / Go home.”
Lucius has such an enigmatic sound – the twangy guitars evoke roots folk, but the driving guitars and drums are innovative and modern. The retro and futuristic feels should be at odds with each other but works together.
A particularly special moment was when they performed a cover of Bob Dylan’s “When The Night Comes Falling From The Sky,” which was thoroughly rejiggered to fit the Lucius sound. The band closed with “Turn It Around” and “Genevieve,” a pair of upbeat tracks.
Chadwick Stokes, the signer-songwriter who’s fronted Dispatch and State Radio, headlined the evening, which served as a benefit for his organization, Calling All Crows. The organization partners with both musicians and fans alike to do community service projects and social activism. It’s a worthy cause and the music reflected it.
Stokes has a solo album due out in February, so the setlist focused mostly on the new record, but he did play an old State Radio favorite, “Right Me Up,” early in the set. And it was no Dispatch show in terms of size, by any means. Luckily, fans of that project might not have to wait that long, as the band is expected to announce a world tour next year.
Local artist Julia Easterlin opened the proceedings, pleasing the very early birds (the show kicked off at 6:30) with a beautiful and just too short set. The singer-songwriter uses synths and loop pads, and it is just wonderful. Her voice is soulful and the looping is conceived using unique methods – at one point pounding her chest rhythmically to create a breathy beat. Her music is definitely worth checking out.
Find out more about Lucius at their website, and check out a Newport Folk Fest video wrap featuring “Two Of Us On The Run” below.