There are three types of bands in this world: those who sound good in recordings, those whose charm stems from live performances, and then the real gems – the bands that can do both. The Districts, with their youthful energy and honest charisma, fall into the latter.
On paper you probably wouldn’t expect much from The Districts, four barely legal dudes that look like they belong smoking stogies outside of your typical gritty Allston house show. Take frontman Rob Grote, who came on stage at a mere 19 clad in a baggy striped t-shirt with Levi’s skinny jeans and his keys still hanging from his belt loop. Seeing Grote on the street, you wouldn’t expect for him to have the crazed fan-base that comes with The Districts, but there’s a level of depth from his lyricism and stage presence that is unparalleled.
Take the opening song, “Rocking Chair,” which was largely drowned out by hoards of concertgoers screaming “WE LOVE YOU ROB!” repeatedly. With his legs and hair flailing more than ever, he wooed the audience with that familiar crackly voice crying dark lines well beyond his years, “If I drink some more, well, I think I might drown / Sleeping the sounds as my Audi burns out / Find the devil inside me and mail him back down.” And that right there is the beauty of The Districts – this young man sharing his soul with the world before he can even grow a beard.
A lot has changed since the last time the group played The Sinclair as openers for White Denim about a year ago. At the time, close to no one knew who these teen rockers were, but the group as a whole was filled with an ecstatic youthful appeal that won the hearts of nearly everyone in the packed venue. Maybe the dynamics are still adjusting to a change in the lineup, maybe they’re saving energy for the rest of their lengthy tour, or maybe it was just an off day, but this show felt more like The Rob Grote Show than The Districts we knew from before.
The audience did not seem to mind, singing and shouting along to the set, which was a welcomed blend of old hits like “Funeral Beds” and “Lyla” along with tracks off A Flourish and a Spoil, which was released on February 10 via Fat Possum. The group closed on “Young Blood” with its thick bass lines invigorating the final build for the night.
Jersey-based Pine Barons opened for The Districts, who happen to not only be their tour-mates, but also the band’s close friends. Pine Barons’ drummer Collin Smith even happened to be The Districts’ tour manager the last time they came around to Cambridge. The group describes itself as “psych-folk-harmonious-rock-and-roll,” and I couldn’t have painted a picture of their music better myself.
There’s something particularly charming about a four-piece rock band with three vocalists. It was fairly reminiscent of Dr. Dog, but with some added chaos and vocals that could belong to an Irish punk group. The group takes familiar concepts and adds an innovative twist, closing with the anthem “Don’t Believe What They Told You.”
Boston-based Vundabar kicked off the night with their rowdy-meets-whimsical renditions of their works, per usual. The group’s first full-length album was called Antics, couldn’t have been more appropriately named. The trio joked about selling insurance plans at the merch table, and continually blended humor into their impressive musical performance. Vundabar closed on an extremely drawn out version of the rockabilly “Voodoo.”
Don’t miss out on The Districts’ newly released A Flourish and a Spoil here.
