POSTED: Thursday, February 17, 2011, 7:00 PM
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| The PBR Band. |
Make no mistake: Tritone is a rock bar. The venue at 15th and South had Zeppelin blasting on the jukebox when I entered. The walls are red, the bathroom was covered with graffiti and those black-and-white bumper stickers for angry unknown bands, and the stage was littered with guitar amps as a man assembled a drum kit. This might sound like criticism, but it's not: it's just to point out that this is a venue quite different from those I've covered up to now. This one caters mainly to full bands, not singer-songwriters. That said, performances varied widely, from keyboards to harps to horns.
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| David Bowden |
The night was scheduled to begin at 8 p.m., but open-mikers be warned: it didn't get going until about 9:30. Still, the bands on stage Tuesday put on a rollicking good show—I haven't seen so many extended guitar solos in quite a while, and it reminded me of why jam bands are so much fun. The band that hosted the night, called the PBR Band (though it stands for Philadelphia Brothers Reunion, not the beer), sounded like a cross between the Grateful Dead and the Allman Brothers—two bands which they later covered. The guitarist played deft, modal solos reminiscent of Jerry Garcia's, but the overall sound was more stripped-down and punchy than either band. The keyboardist easily transitioned to bass as the night went on. These guys were technically proficient, and had plenty of energy—worth dropping by on a Tuesday night to see.
As for the other performers: we each got 15-minute, 3-song slots. I was impressed by David Bowden, a solo Irish harpist who confidently took the stage wedged between louder acts. His Celtic tunes were followed by Gray Fox, another standout act—and not just because their drummer busted the bass drum head. They were a two-piece band, just guitar and drums, but there was no need for a bass: the guitarist filled the room with his metal-inflected blues riffs even while we waited for the drum kit to be repaired. The electric guitar, with its thin sound, has never struck me as a good solo instrument; you rarely see singer-songwriters come onstage with one. But Gray Fox pulled it off: it was Delta blues on speed.
While we listened, we ate fried pickles and drank what's been called the "citywide special": PBR and a shot of whiskey for three bucks. No beers on tap, but a good selection of bottles and cans.
Tritone is an upbeat, rocker's night—bands should check this one out, while singer-songwriters might prefer just to listen.
The nitty-gritty for performers: Tuesdays, Tritone, 1508 South St. Scheduled for 8, but don't show up until 9. Three songs apiece.
