WERS 88.9 fm - Performance Wrap-Up: Elvis Perkins In Dearland

December 3^rd, 2009

On a rainy Monday night, one opening band was not enough to perk the audience for Elvis Perkins in Dearland. After two opening acts and three solid hours after the door opened, Elvis Perkins in Dearland came out to the crowd – but not on stage. The band entered The Paradise Rock Club from the top balcony, marching in with a drum, a trombone, and a trumpet. As the band marched into the venue, the crowd cheered, stomped, and clapped to the beat.

Elvis Perkins started the show with “Gypsy Davy,” from the band’s new Doomsday EP. The New York-based band has a collective of very tight followers. Many people from the audience were singing along and grooving to the beats. Plenty of Perkins’ songs had heavy percussions and catchy bass drum beats to it, which made it easier for the audience to dance to.

“Doomsday,” turned the festive mood around a bit. The light dimmed down to enhance the melancholy feel of the song, and people swayed and moved to the slow groove. The high-pitch and rather fragile-sounding voice of Perkins brought to mind Devendra Banhart, and the gloomy melodies the horns played added a central Asian feel to the band’s sound.

After a faster tune “Stop Drop Rock and Roll,” the band left the stage leaving Perkins alone with his guitar. “Right now is the part of the night,” Perkins told the audience. “…Where I do not know what is supposed to happen. What do you want me to do?”

Despite the fact that he tried to take requests from the audience, Perkins didn’t seem to like any of the suggestions that were thrown out there, including “Freebird.” Perkins decided to play one of his older songs on his acoustic guitar.

The band came back out after a couple acoustic songs, and the crowd energy hit the pinnacle. Although it was a cold and rainy Monday night, Perkins and his band threw a grand party at the Paradise, beating the drums, dancing around the stage, and singing with the crowd.

When the group exited the stage after their last song, the crowd cheered on and on craving more. Perkins came back out with his acoustic guitar and started to play a song, and the bassist and the drummer came out during the song to join him. Even after Perkins’ first encore, the crowd did not leave the venue regardless of the house light, so the band came out once more for a few tunes. The fact that it was a Monday night did not seem to bother these avid fans – Perkins could put up a party any day of the week.

-Words and Images by Lily Jeong