Last night was the sixth installment of R5’s “In the Sanctuary Concert Series,” featuring Essex Green, Aereogramme and The Delgados in the sanctuary of the First Unitarian Church (shows at the church are usually in the basement).
Essex Green plays polished, country-tinged psychedelic pop. I’m told their music is the most authentic of the modern psych-pop revivalists, but having little frame of reference from that era and genre, I couldn’t help but be reminded of Scots Belle and Sebastian, and I wonder if that wasn’t a coincidence, since Essex Green was the only non-Scottish act on the bill.
Aereogramme, the main band I went to see, had a rough night. The sound mix was bad (despite it being great for the other two bands) and the crowd seemed generally uninterested, in spite of singer Craig B.’s appropriately pastorate wit between songs.
The Delgados were marvelous, and I can only assume they continued to be so after I had to leave 30 minutes into their set to catch the last train home. I hadn’t heard much of their stuff before, but I certainly intend to seek it out now. They play wonderfully nuanced indie-pop, their songcraft is sublime, and their touring band has no fewer than nine people, including a string section. This morning, I briefly considered heading up to the Bowery Ballroom in NYC on Sunday to see them play a full set; such was my disappointment at having to leave early.