LIVE REVIEW: Before the Solstice - Stokeswood - Naomi Lavender
Eyedrum // Atlanta, GA // Jan. 9, 2010
By: Ellen Eldridge

The Eyedrum in Atlanta recently hosted one of the most appropriate evenings for its name, mixing the senses of sight and sound with a mixture of performers who don't always fit neatly into a niche. "What may at first seem dissonant or at odds is actually quite harmonious...hence, PseudoDiscord," says Nadia Lelutia of the Moon and Pluto productions, who promoted the event along with Performer. The show started with Damon Moon and had an intriguing ukelele performance by Naomi Lavender between the two headlining acts, Before the Solstice and Stokeswood.

Before the Solstice may be a small band with only a bassist, guitarist and drummer, but the intensity and thoughtfulness which showed on singer Clint Bussey's face as he played kept the audience intrigued. Songs like "Petty John" and "No One Escapes the Sun" allowed all to get lost in the blank stare and trance-like state of Bussey as he sang about themes of drinking away misery, abuse, neglect, regret and the repentance that Before the Solstice made musically as it bled catharsis on its listeners.

Naomi Lavender was introduced by Bussey and she shyly took the stage wearing a lovely black dress with an almost Russian-looking fur collar. She plugged in her electric-acoustic Oscar Schmidt ukelele and announced her recent return from Hawaii as the reason for this transcendent performance. Her voice truly sailed high above her nerves as she soothed the angst and discontent left by Before the Solstice.

Stokeswood, an Atlanta favorite, closed the evening and warmed the cool air pouring in through the door. The nine members took the stage, half without shoes, feeling the floor as they played. Singer Adam Patterson reminded the audience that dancing warms the blood and before the third song of the set finished, the entire front row filled with dancing fans twirling and bouncing to the beats. To call Stokeswood a techno band or a hippie band would have some truth, while still not fully explaining the sound that includes percussion player Craig Gendreau on djembe, maracas and digital steel drums, a set drummer and a Korg M-50 resounding with dance beats. Truly a fun show that warmed all who attended.

www.myspace.com/beforethesolstice
www.myspace.com/naomilavendermusic
www.myspace.com/stokeswood

Moon and Pluto presents PseudoDiscord:

The Silver Tongue - PseudoDiscord Review

Damon Moon warmed the audience up with some psychedelically sweetened ambiance. Then Before the Solstice rocked the stage with their turbulently introspective and emotional set list with songs like “The Golden Age”, “Petty John” and “Roly Troly” that always seem to slap my soul out of its apathetically induced coma! I must confess that “Judas Christ” may always be my favorite. That’s not bias, is it? Who cares!

Then after being rocked by Before the Solstice, an unsuspecting and elegantly dressed young lady by the name of Naomi Lavender carrying a ukulele graced the stage. With dark eyes that seemed to have witnessed at least nine lifetimes of 729 broken hearts that told a story with each note flowing from within as a banshee would cry for mercy to be shown before another heart was sacrificed to love’s reckless abandon. She needed no instrument and the listeners were enthralled by her presence. It could’ve been the charm, her beauty , her artistic humility or quite possibly she was eye candy to deaf ears. I found myself questioning that a few times especially when I heard a whistle or two. Naomi seemed to be nervous and although she struck a few wrong chords on her instrument, she maintained a harmonious interaction with the audience that seemed to leave everyone’s thirst unquenched. One thing that certainly struck a chord with me is something Naomi said after relating a story to the audience: “When we inhabit a space, we leave our mark.” I couldn’t have said it better myself. If nothing else, that statement should offer some insight into where Naomi Lavender may be drawing her inspiration. She’s going places and we should definitely keep our ears open for those footsteps.

Next and last was Stokeswood. I was immediately impressed by the energy these guys were putting out. They are described as electroacoustic and progressive but that doesn’t even come close. You simply cannot put Stokeswood into a category. You can’t! So don’t try it! Every song was tightly knit into a web of animated percussion, colorful melodies, ambiance and space age hums and drums that only they could be capable of putting their fingers on. Metaphorically speaking of course…

These guys made me think of jumping jelly beans spiraling, popping and dancing around inside of a glazed bubble of melodic fluidity. I could see and hear that they believed in their music and had effortlessly won the faith of the audience.

Overall, all four performances left me hungry for more of their music and so I suggest you do as I did after the show and look them up. You won’t be disappointed!

Sinfully yours,

Judas Moon