Shakey Graves – Tuning Fork

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DSC_5892Preconceptions can throw you off. I expected the audience at Shakey Graves’ Tuning Fork show to be older and more laid back. Instead the sold-out crowd seemed to be mostly in their 20s and ready to party. I also expected the music made by the Austin, Texas-based musician to be a mix of country and folk. Instead it was electric blues and rock and roll.

“Let’s get weird”, exclaimed Alejandro Rose-Garcia, aka Shakey Graves, as he and his drummer, Chris “Boo” Boosahda, took the stage at 9:30 and kicked things off with The Perfect Parts, from Shakey’s latest album, And The War Came.

The fired-up crowd was ready and willing to get weird as the two musicians bashed out a sound that sounded more like The Black Keys than Willie Nelson.

There was plenty of whooping and hollering when Boo laid down the beat for Pansy Waltz, a song that got an extended treatment as the duo fed off the energy of the crowd while generating plenty of their own.

Many of the songs seemed to flow into each other, connected by instrumental jams resulting in what seemed like one long slice of rockin’ Texas blues.

I don’t know if it was the sound mix, or simply Rose-Garcia’s enunciation, but his lyrics seemed to slur together as well, making it difficult to understand exactly what he was singing about.

But the message seemed to be getting through to most of the fans, who were eager to make the most of their Saturday night.

“Boo” left the stage during the middle of the set, but although he was now alone on stage, Shakey kept the energy level up as he performed Bully’s Lament armed only with his electric guitar.

Cheers of recognition went up as the first few notes of Roll The Bones were played…clearly this crowd has been paying attention.

After the song, Rose-Garcia reached out to the front of the audience and offered up a series of triumphant fist bumps.

Proper Fence followed and was a bit quieter. Gauging the mood of the crowd, Shakey lead them through some clapping and then got them singing along with a call and response section at the song’s conclusion.

“Here’s a much sweeter love song”, he announced before Chinatown, which featured a good-natured “mouth trumpet” solo.

Boo returned in time for If Not For You and the set closed with Dearly Departed during which two girls hopped on stage to help with backing vocals.

For the encore, Rose-Garcia returned alone to play Late July. Both the crowd and the singer seemed satisfied and they called it a night.

While the audience and the musicians were clearly enjoying themselves, I was a bit more reserved in my enthusiasm.  After a few numbers, there seemed to be a sameness to the music…I guess I would have appreciated a bit more diversity in the sound and clarity in the lyrics.

But I was in the minority as most of the young crowd appeared to come away from the show happily entertained.

I should also mention that Auckland musician Will Wood did an impressive job of warming up the audience…perhaps he warmed them up too much.

Click on any image to view a photo gallery by Michael Flynn:

Marty Duda

Shakey Graves set list:

  1. The Perfect Parts
  2. House Of Winston
  3. Pansy Waltz
  4. Christopher Columbus
  5. Bully’s Lament
  6. Roll The Bones
  7. Proper Fence
  8. Chinatown
  9. Built To Roam
  10. If Not For You
  11. The Waters
  12. Call It Heaven
  13. Dearly Departed
  14. Late July
Marty Duda
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