The Youjsh EP Launch – Green Room – Saturday, April 24, 2010
So we’ve got the introduction out of the way — hey, you gotta intrigue somehow! After the long wait (the soundcheck was actually a bit late to start), I walked into the dimly-lit Green Room to find that the “people excitedly packing into the venue for a great show” part of this review might not happen, but of course, as each song rolled along during the Tiny Dictators bluesy opening set, more people “packed into the venue for a great show,” which was a relief, I’d expect, for everyone involved in this thing, and was a relief to myself as well, seeing as The Youjsh are a very entertaining band and the ticket fare of 8 dollars was well worth it.
Tiny Dictators — and it showed in every bit of their performance — are three musicians (and good ones) having a good time playing music that is just as good if not better than anything I would expect from George Thorogood and the Destroyers, if that’s even a fair comparison on their part. Joe Grass and Liam O’Neill jammed through the set of bluesy rock n’ roll on guitar and drums respectively, while Jason Sharp played bass saxophone, adding a nice element to an already well done assortment of songs. Highlights in the set included what they dubbed post-song, “The Wedding Song,” and the “life in the fast lane” energy of “Gimme A Ride,” which was one of many fast-paced garage band jams that never sounded short of too similar to one another — something all too rare with this kind of music. Tiny Dictators really pulled it off.
The headliners, the EP launchers, Malcolm Sailor & The Youjsh, took the stage not too long after. They were selling earplugs at this show, and if you didn’t need them for Tiny Dictators, The Youjsh wouldn’t take much of a toll on your ears if not just a pleasurable one. I don’t know Steve Day, but if everyone involved in this Youjsh craze (that’s been gaining steam which each performance) could guess, he’d be super proud of all this. The Youjsh played a handful of songs — some off their debut EP I Cant Believe Steve Day Is OK With This, some not — with Malcolm leading the fray on piano, and the rest of the gang contributing equally. It’s almost hard not to notice the seemingly stoic clarinetist Isak Goldschneider at the head of the pack on stage, doing all the talking with his clarinet, which really gave this band it’s authentic klezmer feel, while characteristically charismatic drumming from Philippe Melanson gave the performance it’s punk-ish edge. Particular songs, such as “How Fast Can Steve Day Go” and “Don’t You Think She’s A Bit Young For You Steve Day?” highlighted a warming and exciting show that proved successful musically as well as attendance-wise — the place was, yes, jammed packed.
Being the natural promoter that I am, I made it my job to invite, and inform, people about this show — many of whom already knew about it or were aware of the hype. If this isn’t a sign of The Youjsh’s rise to a local “star” status around town, then I don’t know what is. You can catch the Youjsh at Casa Del Poppolo on May 10. Let’s dance. – Jordan Ghetler
The Youjsh
Tiny Dictators
Photography by Kenneth Suss
