Sunday, March 10th, 2013 was when Daylight
Savings Time officially kicked in for this year, and what better way to “spring
forward” into longer days with more sunshine than to spend an evening with in a
window-covered space in the West End of Dallas as the sun set a little more
slowly, and incredible musicians shared their talents with a room full of
appreciative music lovers?
White Space Dallas was kind enough to offer one of their 5th-floor
meeting rooms to the SofarDFW crew as a performance space, and the amazing
musicians who make up If Birds Could Fly, Kelley McRae, Locksley, and Tyler
Bryant & the Shakedown were kind enough to offer their tremendous talents
as they stopped through Dallas. Also,
the generous folks at Eno’s Tavern in nearby Oak Cliff were kind enough to donate
pizza for the bands, and I’m told it was quite delicious!
The evening’s performances were kicked off by Virginia
natives If Birds Could Fly (there was a fun discussion about whether they were
from “south West Virginia” or “southwest Virginia” in our corner of the room,
the latter of which was confirmed after the show!). The group’s style is described on their
Facebook page as a “haunting mix of Appalachian folk, Americana, and retro
country,” which sums up the essence of their sound much better than I
could. Lead singer Brittany Ashley was
nearly floating above the floor with her bouncy energy and her vocals
(reminiscent of a young Dolly Parton) soared over the room. The entire group had an easy banter and a
pleasantness that one would naturally expect from natives of the Deep South.
Next up was one quarter of the band Locksley, singer and
guitarist Jordan Laz. Jordan’s
performance could not have been more different than the opening act. He combined storytelling with musicianship as
he moved seamlessly from song to song with no room for applause (at his
request), which gave the entire set a very “performance art” feel to it.
Because of this, I found myself really listening to the lyrics he sang and
feeling how the music changed with each story.
Those with keen ears probably noticed the repetitive vocal and guitar
motifs used throughout the performance.
After a quick break, the music continued with Brooklyn
native Kelley McRae, accompanied by her husband. There seems to be a special chemistry that
exists between husband-and-wife artists, and Kelley and her husband were
definitely no exception. The two of them
communicated effortlessly with a quick glance, a small smile, or a breath taken
together before continuing a phrase.
Kelley was programmed nicely after Jordan Laz as she also told complete
stories with her music, both lyrically and melodically. Her rich voice and poetic lyrics, accompanied
by her husband’s impressive guitar skills, provided a beautiful set that was
over all too soon.
By the time the sun had officially set, the lights of
downtown Dallas’s famous skyscrapers and Reunion Tower provided the background
for Nashville residents Tyler Bryant & the Shakedown. As I was sporadically tweeting during the
event, I mentioned that I’d bet good money that this foursome was somewhat
influenced by The Sheepdogs, but it turns out that lead singer Tyler Bryant has
been influenced by the great musicians of earlier years: Muddy Waters, Stevie
Ray Vaughan and the Black Crowes, just to name a few. Between songs, my husband said to me, “I bet
they don’t play in this type of [acoustic] setting often, but they definitely
should.” I couldn’t agree more! These guys were born to rock, for sure, which
was evident in their barely contained ability to sit still in their chairs.
However, it’s when artist or group is stripped down with no lights or amps or
smoke to enhance their performance that their true abilities and talent are
able to shine through. Tyler Bryant and
his equally impressive band mates proved that they can (and should) rock any
venue, regardless of size or style. I
hope they continue to explore their acoustic side, but I also would pay good
money to really see them in their element.
