by Meaghan Paulosky
Having survived winter’s never-ending “polar vortex,” Philadelphians are starting to realize the warmth they begged for can be just as unpleasant. June 18th saw the year’s first heat wave and the city was none too pleased. But for those who braved through the sweat, Milkboy was there to offer some relief.
Buddy (both a man and a band) opened the night fresh from a seven-hour drive, though their exhaustion wasn’t at all obvious. And despite performing as only three-fifths of their usual band, Buddy (the man) energetically took charge on lead guitar and vocals, playing off of Will’s and Al’s mellow supporting guitar and drums.
Buddy (photo credit, Meaghan Paulosky)
Buddy (the band) had an inadvertent start, officially coming together when the now lead singer/former solo act needed some help. As he explains, it was a serendipitous broken hand that left him unable to play during his one-man shows. Out of the goodness of their hearts, friends he met at a music club agreed to accompany his vocals onstage. After realizing how undeniably well they worked together, the “accompaniment” never left – Buddy (the man) became Buddy (the band). To a coolly dark room, a condensed form of this accidental band shared older songs, as well as new pieces from Last Call for the Quiet Life, due out in August.
For forty-five or so minutes of indie-pop bliss, Milkboy started to forget earlier complaints of heat. By the end of the set, full attention was given to Buddy (the man) who hopped onto the floor and into the crowd for an acoustic rendition of their own “Westgate.”
New York-based Swear and Shake then took the stage, also as a small, yet powerful, representation of their usual band. The two delegates first appeared to be She & Him look- and sound-alikes, but Adam’s banjo and Kari’s vocals quickly suggested She & Him might actually be impersonating them.
Ben Ottewell (photo credit, Chris Narisi)
As if the audience wasn’t spoiled already, headliner Ben Ottewell of Gomez closed the increasingly chill night. He was joined by Will and Al, again on guitar and drums, but also took time to perform his gentler songs alone. Performing from both of his solo albums, Ben treated Milkboy with his charmingly raspy voice and overwhelming command of guitar. A treat made even more special as his new album Rattlebag is not yet available online.
With shows like this one, maybe a hot summer in Philadelphia won’t be so bad.
