Tony Contini / Tahoe Onstage
Praise jeebus for Steve Emmerich and Fresh Bakin’ — the moment I got word of this beautifully booked pairing, I knew it was kismet.
Dirtwire of Oakland and Outlaw Kindred of Reno fit together perfectly. They played at The BlueBird last Saturday.
Outlaw Kindred kicked off the night with their usual speed-of-light folk. But they revealed a different side of themselves. A softer one. They prompted the molly’d-up hippies to dance like pixies and elves in the shire.
Dirtwire came out dressed like the Three Amigos, playing some sort of didgeridoo thing and enchanted gourd-shaped instrument. If you blink, one of the three members is playing a new instrument. Some I could indentify were – ukulele, jaw harp, violin, harmonica, guitar and banjo. They got an edgier sound by scraping the banjo strings or carving them with a bow.
Some of their songs’ main melodies were produced from a silly little megaphone. He’d half-sing, half-wail, and the device would add effects or he’d apply some manually.
They make good use of all sorts of toys and noisemakers — then the beats drop. They’re a beautiful blend of digital and analog. They played a song that’s hook was about a shish kabob. Yum.
At one point, lead singer and multi-instrumentalist David Satori (of Beats Antique fame) sang into the pickup on his banjo. It yielded a lo-fi intercom sound that sounded like Ad-Rock of The Beastie Boys rocking the sure shot.
Their percussion was also impressive. Satori would play micro snare to add a little Latin vibe. The rest of the members would bang on the sides of metal drums or toms and midi pads for vibe changes.
All told, Outlaw Kindred was the perfect ramp-up to the Dirtwire dance party Fresh Bakin’ threw.
– Tony Contini
Related story: Beats Antiques captivates Cargo Concert Hall.
Outlaw Kindred
