Showcase: Augustana & Greylag @ The El Rey Theatre (05/12/12)

 

Our first ‘Guerrilla Night’ with Augustana & Greylag, #afterthebreak…

(re-edited: 11/11/2023)

Out of all the music venues in ‘Hollywood’, The El Rey still ranks #1 in my book.  It’s hard not to lose yourself in it’s historic old school elegance before the lights turn off and another eclectic show explodes from the speakers.  Such a great feeling.  

So when I heard that newcomers Greylag were helping  Augustana close out their reuniting 2011/2012 tour there, I jumped at the chance…especially after experiencing their new EP — The Only Way To Kill You.  For something so hauntingly beautiful would be heighten projected from my favorite stage.  And when it was said and done, it kind of was.

I made my way to the venue a few hours before showtime to meet up with Greylag’s lead singer — Andrew Stonestreet.  Surprisingly, I found one of Augustana‘s hardcore fans sitting by the door when I arrived.  She took the bus to come see this show.  Augustana must  hold great meaning in her life.  That left me speechless and in deep thought until Andrew finished his smoke.  Then we just sat on the street corner and rapped.  That artist showcase will drop soon!  If I have to spoil something, here it is: my favorite part was when he poetically recited some his favorite verses from one Greylag’s deep tracks.  Gave me chills, then a second time when they performed it onstage a few hours later.

Where Augustana was a predictable and unchanging affair, Greylag’s 45 minute opening set showcased a buffet of musical influences rolled into their southern/northwest slang that surprised with every track.  Or a slang I describe as the darker version of The Shins.  Seriously, it has become hard for me not to think of James Mercer when I listen to Andrew sing.  Don’t know why that is.  Both groups share deep meaningful tracks that is more about symbolism & feeling then mainstream expectations set to both hard and indie rock.  Guess that’s why I find their music so intriguing.  Made the show that much more intimate.  Got the same vibe from the packed house at El Rey during their soft-sweet interludes.   Andrew told me a Greylag show is all about the intimacy– that unspoken connection to every man…woman…and even child swaying in the darkness.  All we needed was some candlelight or a fireplace to make the El Rey feel more like a ski lodge in the middle of Oregon wilderness.  Just us…encapsulated by sweet melody.

This show marked the end of Augustana’s cross country tour.  Their non-stop, close to 2 hour set featured 26 classic & new tracks from the newly reformed San Diego team fronted by Dan Layus.  Normally 26 tracks of music would get me excited, but I won’t lie…the start of show was plagued by poor sound.  For almost three songs I could only hear the ear bleeding bass.  It really turned me off, which has never really happened to me at a show before.  Hearing some of my favorite tracks — Meet You There, Fire, 20 Years, Boston, etc — did help me leave the show in a favorable light nevertheless it all sounded the same.  Bleh.  It was too much, for too long.  They didn’t even have a break for an encore.  Maybe they were afraid we would leave if we were given the chance?  They just played on through.

There was a highlight.  Instead of ending on Boston as expected, Dan delivered a very emotional and powerful performance of “Alive“.  It left him tears, very proud of being a year sober and wrapping up yet another tour.  If you listen to the lyrics, makes sense why it warmed his heart.  You can share that touching performance here.  Was lucky enough to catch it on tape.

Photography wise:  my new Canon PowerShot SX40 HS proved itself to be a beast.  Built with the same processor as my Canon Powershot S100 with the added bonus of a longer lens really helped get some extremely close up shots.  What really surprised me was it’s battery life.  Went the full 5 hours with no change in battery.  Compared to my Nikon, it  has mad endurance.  My biggest issue was the weight.   Bigger battery, heavier the load.  Could feel the burn when I awoke the next morning.  Sure sign I have to get stronger, that’s all.

Big thanks to Andrew & Greylag, Sideways Media, Augustana, and The El Rey for another great show!  Stay tuned for our Interview!

Sorry for typos.  Until next time…

-J

Click to see our raw Augustana & Greylag Photo Slideshow