Fans jammed the Parish in Austin on a warmer-than-normal fall night to shake off their turkey hangovers with some even tastier tunes. Oakland’s Street to Nowhere opened with an Oberst-like earnestness and intensity that the crowd was more than happy to match. The masses packed in tighter for the clever songs of Kevin Devine. “Turkey is a great way to celebrate all that land we got from all those people,” he quipped while tuning his guitar for a set of acoustic gems about love, loss, and society. Matt Pond PA’s tight, low-key sound is an equal mixture of resigned melancholy and melodic pop. The band didn’t disappoint a crowd that seemed a mix of long-time listeners and O.C. converts.
Led by Taking Back Sunday ex-pats John Nolan and Shaun Cooper, Straylight Run headlined and tore through a set of intense emo-rock. Nolan and sister/keyboardist Michelle traded vocal duties on tracks from their debut album and forthcoming sophomore release, reminding the audience where the lighter side of Taking Back Sunday came from. In the end, the tight, affecting sets left the audience with just one more thing to be thankful for this holiday season. ERIC UHLIR
On SPIN.com:
Straylight Run Sit Down with SPIN.com
Kevin Devine at CMJ ’06
>> Listen to Kevin Devine on Napster
>> Listen to Straylight Run on Napster
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