The Gallerist, an indie-folk band from Boston, could easily ride the success of the Avett Brothers and Mumford and Sons — singer/songwriter Mike Collins's voice effortlessly fill the room, carrying the band from ballad to anthem. His songs have a timeless feel, like picking up where you left off with an old friend. "A Parent Apology " includes an awesome singalong-worthy chorus, which made me wish the crowd was less subdued, more primed to party. Kudos to Collins for keeping the banjo tuning to a minimum.
The Panda Bandits have like, 25 band members. Okay, just 10. My suspicions were quickly confirmed that the Bandits seem to spend more time on props, masks, and incense than practice. Bands like Sunset Hearts pull it off, so it's not impossible. It was like a pow-wow gone wrong until Johnny Fountain took over lead vocals and killed a few bluesier tracks. Finally, Bandit founders Waisley and Minnie stumbled through a cutesy duet. Partway through Waisley got down on one knee and proposed. He was trembling and she was beaming — it was incredibly charming.
Jesse Pilgrim shifted the mood with humorous songs about whiskey and West Bath, leaving Portland only to move back the next day. The crowd pleaded for older favorites, but Pilgrim chose to focus on newer material, including rap anthem "Fuck You Paul LePage." It seriously riled up the crowd, with the exception of the out-of-towners. Pilgrim was accompanied by his girlfriend and backup singer Margaret, who contributed vocals to a few Carter/Cash inspired tracks. As a huge Cash fan, these songs were the highlight of my night.
Topics:
New England Music News
, Jesse Pilgrim, Jesse Pilgrim, Mike Collins, More 
, Jesse Pilgrim, Jesse Pilgrim, Mike Collins, Johnny Fountain, Panda Bandits, Panda Bandits, Mayo Street Arts, Mayo Street Arts, Mumford and Sons, Avett Brothers, Less 
