WEEK OF 2/7/20

J Fernandez / all 📷 : Kyle Land

Another blizzard, another night at Sleeping Village. It’s become a pattern of the winter, and last Wednesday’s $1 beer night was a smooth groove evening of gentle folk and psych-pop bliss that scooped us up in its warm embrace, providing a momentary solace from the tundra whipping at the walls of the Avondale venue. If you’ve paid attention to our humble publication, you’re very aware of singer/songwriter Claude, who has been on the scene for several years now, but is really coming into her own recently. Whether performing solo or with her band, Claudia Ferme has a magnetic appeal that shows itself in singles from her upcoming new record, “Oh, to Be” and “Turn.” Rocking it by herself on this winter night, Ferme’s quiet contemplation was the perfect first course before a double whammy helping of psych-pop jams.

Fuzzy in all the right ways, Peel Dream Magazine launched into their far-too-short turn with some new tunes and quite a few off critical darling Modern Meta Physic. Multi-instrumentalist Joe Stevens has taken cues from the sonically astute indie poppers of the ‘90s and brought it into the modern psych-pop era. With a talented backing band soaking in his cues, the live versions of the songs burned through the darkness with a brightness akin to the psychedelic projection at their back. Their new record, Agitprop Alterna, is due out April 3rd, and if the lead single “Pill,” which closed the set, is any indication, it’s going to be quite the sonic tapestry in which to weave his graceful psych-pop spirit. 

One of the joys of following the local scene is seeing artists grow in leaps, and J Fernandez has gone from coy indie rocker to full-fledged psych-pop master in the space of a few years. After several years between releases, he came swooping in with Occasional Din late in 2018 and gifted the world with a perfect gem of a record in time for the holiday doldrums. Seemingly out of a different decade, Occasional Din embraced the strangeness of late ‘60s experimental pop, and the subsequent touring has given him the confidence to attack these tunes with an intenseness of focus that few musicians attain. On this night, the current iteration of his band burned through the stage with tight arrangements and complete confidence in their leader through a burner of a set including the excellent “Volcanic Winter” and “Unwind,” two favorites that brought visuals without the usual requisist stimulants. 

Nothing better for those seasonal blues than getting quality music for a mere $5 cover at one of the cities best venues. Long live $1 Beer Night!  

 -Kyle Land