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The Pomptet + TEA & Co – O Patro Vys – 10/01/12

January 12, 2012 in All Articles, Music, Show Reviews

Walking into a busy venue on a weekday tends to make you forget what day it really is. So when people walked into the O Patro Vys last night, it was impossible to think it was actually a Tuesday, and that most people probably had class or work to go to the next day. However, any worrying academic or financial thought was flushed out for a few hours, as the crowd of friends and fans alike gathered around the little show space to support the sweet, amicable, and ever-growing bands of the night.

First up were the Thanya, Emilie, and Ali band, who’ve been progressively adding more dimensions to their sound with the help of recent member additions like Marc, the drummer; Simon, the trumpeter; Evan the guitarist; and their latest addition, Shaina, on backup vocals. Every time you see these girls perform will be better than the previous; that’s just how it works. They’ve evolved so much since their first sets; they’re much more comfortable on stage, and have gotten a good handle on all their songs and what direction they’re going with their sound, which isn’t exactly one you can label, but it’s something along the lines of jazzy indie folk, with a bohemian violin twist. They made jokes out of their technical keyboard difficulties throughout the set, which resulted in constant heartfelt giggles from the crowd. They also treated us to a few new songs, which are coming along wonderfully!

Next up was The Pomptet, fantastic composer and upright bassist Alex Kasirer-Smibert, who was joined by five other talented musicians, to play his own jazz compositions for the crowd as a parting gift, because he’s leaving to study music in the prestigious Berklee University in Boston. The vibe was just the perfect blend of improvisation and New-Orlean groove. There was a certain chemistry between the featured trombonist, saxophonist and guitarist, which made everything visually entertaining as well. Not that the energy was lacking; even the keyboardist and drummer were into their parts, making the set an extremely captivating experience. It should be noted that Alex seems extremely modest for a musician of his caliber, which is quite refreshing to witness. He thanked his bandmates and the crowd a few times throughout the set. The last song they played was “Freezedom”, Alex stated, “Because it’s cold.”- However, when the piece ended, people cheered for more, but the band had already played all the songs on the list, so it didn’t happen. Either way, it was a wonderful set, and we can’t wait for Pomptet to graduate Berklee, come back, and play some more for us!

-Written by Sarvenaz Amir-E.