the original URL of this article was: http://www.meshsf.com/blogs/2004/06/emotional-rock-music.htmlWords and photos by Daniel Taylor
Review Courtesy of www.synthesis.netThursday, June 24, 2004
EMOTIONAL ROCK MUSICThe Rocket Summer, Plain White T’s, Number One Fan & Kevin Devine
12 Galaxies, San Francisco
Monday, June 21stIt was only fitting that the official first day of Summer 2004 was marked not only by an escape from the oppressive valley heat into the loving, temperate arms of San Francisco, but also a yay-rock extravaganza featuring the name soon to be on the hearts and lips of sappy music fans everywhere: The Rocket Summer. Though the venue was in a seemingly dicey part of town, and was itself something of a dive-ish whiskey joint, a small but vocal contingent of cheerful youths, sundry scenesters and curious onlookers assembled to mark the occasion and celebrate life in general.
After opener Kevin Devine provided the distant soundtrack to navigating the confusing streets of San Francisco, my assistant and I arrived in time to catch the night’s other attraction, upcoming Wisconson emos Number One Fan. Sticking to cuts off their forthcoming national debut, Compromises, the band’s anthemic and thoroughly melodic sound was more or less what one would expect. Frontman Nicolas Ziemann seemed to have a bit of trouble covering the vocal parts so finely rendered on Compromises, but overall the band provided a somewhat rousing opening set.
Chicago’s Plain White T’s were next upon the stage. A five-piece, Plain White-T’s certainly had the energy and the technical chops to make a decent racket, but their style was mired in a weird sort of netherworld between gooey new-school punk rock, the anthemic melodicism of their predecessors Number One Fan, and an altogether cornball active rock sound. Though similar to other contemporary Chicago outfits like Fallout Boy and Spitalfield, Plain White T’s didn’t really seem to offer much except a dude in a jean jacket sweating his ass off onstage.
But even the respectable amount of stage presence exhibited by Plain White T’s would soon pale in comparison to the one-man whirlwind that is Bryce Avary, aka The Rocket Summer. Like others before him — Pedro the Lion, Nine Inch Nails, etc. — Avary is a type of rock music wünderkind, playing all the instruments on The Rocket Summer’s debut record Calendar Days, as well as handling all the vocals and songwriting duties. The current tour is Avary’s first with a full backup band, but from the get-go it was more than clear who the star was. Kicking things off on keyboards, Avary would also play guitar, and even drums (with a headset microphone) over the course of the evening, often ditching instruments altogether to focus on his aerobics instructor-esque verve for crowd participation. But as corny as it may sound, or even was, something about Avary’s personality — and, more importantly, songwriting — makes it irresistibly charming. From the opening “This is Me,” to the peppy “Cross My Heart,” — both from Calendar Days — and even on covers (The Cure’s “Mint Car”), Avary’s honest enthusiasm and obviously God-given talent counteracted any derision his demeanor and boyish excitement might have incurred. Closing the night on solo acoustic guitar, Avary — by then preaching to the choir, especially the adoring throngs of teenage girls in the audience — only made it obvious what was already clear: he’s happy and he knows it and he’s not afraid to show it.