Guster and Ray LaMontagne at the Bank of America Pavilion, August 11, 2006 By: ADAM GOLD8/14/2006 12:16:51 PM
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There’s been loads of hype lately about the “new” Guster. Their recent release Ganging Up on the Sun has been deemed by critics their “most mature work to date,” and even the band has admitted a conscious effort to reach beyond it’s loyal but overwhelmingly college-age fan base. Pointing to 2003’s Keep it Together as the beginning of the end of the bongo-and-guitar-driven acoustic-pop era, more than a few die-hard fans have expressed concern about the newer, more “production savvy” Guster that’s been showing up on talk shows and pop radio. But as the cool breeze rolled in off the harbor at the Pavilion Friday night, those fears were put in perspective and one thing became clear: it’s still the same old Guster.
The crowd—much of it too young for wristbands—was eager to stretch after a mellow but impressive sit-down set from Ray LaMontagne, and the opportunity came when “Born to be Wild” blared from the speakers and Guster purred up the aisles riding Segway scooters. Throughout a generous hour and forty-five minute set, the band drew evenly from old and new material, and although the loudest screams came during hits like “Demons” and “Airport Song” from 1997’s Goldfly, fans seemed equally pleased with tunes from Ganging Up, including recent single “One Man Wrecking Machine,” “The Captain,” “C’mon,” and the Pink Floyd-inspired “Ruby Falls.”
If there was anything different about the band, it was tighter harmonies and fleshier arrangements, thanks in part to fourth member Joe Pisapia, who filled in on guitar, bass, banjo, and keyboard throughout the nineteen songs. A young drum tech identified as “Scooter” (possibly a coincidence, considering the band’s opening gag) also joined periodically on drum set and percussion, allowing drummer Brian Rosenworcel to stick to his time-honored tradition of beating the crap out of his fingers on hand drums. Guitarist Adam Gardner—who reportedly sang through a case of laryngitis—announced admirably that concert was powered by wind, but it was hard to take the band too seriously with Rosenworcel still wearing his scooter helmet and lead singer Ryan Miller sporting a Members Only jacket. Guster may have grown up a little, but they’ll always be the goofy, lovable band from Massachusetts.
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