It’s Saturday and I share a cab with a fellow Watchtower writer to see Song Dogs, a “prairie rock” quintet at the North Star Bar, a music venue tucked away in Fairmont. There’s a wicked, biting wind at our backs as we smoke one last cigarette and the massive doorman is pretty clear that butts were not appreciated in the vicinity of the door. Once inside we are met with warm mustard tinted walls and frat boy inspired decor that includes cheap strings of party lights and oddly placed handcuffs. We arrived early and the band was still setting up so I order a shot of whisky and a beer and take a seat on the exposed radiator basking in its warmth. I’m really excited to see this band live as their album, Wild Country, has swiftly made its way to the top of my playlist.
North Star is set up up so that the bar and the The band is playing on a small stage that appears to have been transported straight out of Haight Ashbury complete with red trimmed Oriental rug, cracked brick walls, and a monochromatic tapestry hanging from the ceiling. Michael Southerton in his jean and plaid ensemble conjures up classic rock circa 1970, with beautiful honey burst Les Paul strung around his shoulder. After playing a track from their EP, Song Dogs and the Nightjar, the band launches into something a little slower, Buffalo Crossroads a track that tells a story with a nice country alt rock feel. The highlight of the set was Wrong Side of Town, is my favorite track on the album, definitely the most aggressive, guitar driven and reminiscent of Neil Young. It's so much rougher around the edges live. There is a moment in the song where band showcases Dan Cooper’s faultless dexterity on drums and it couldn't be more perfect.
Contrary to her demure demeanor, Mariama O’Brien plays with her whole body, the pulsating spiritual center of the band. Her back story is the most interesting, in her native Liberia as a woman she was not permitted to play the drums. She’s channeling freedom at the North Star tonight and watching her I feel liberated, I feel every bang on the djembe, each shake of the tambourine on her hip and it’s beautiful seeing real life themes tie into the album’s central theme of freedom and new frontiers, because Mariama definitely belongs to the stage, planted behind a drum. She is a goddess of rhythm and it’s impossible to tear your eyes away.
Wild Country was produced by Bill Moarity (Dr. Dog, Man Man and Toy Soldiers) who the band cannot rave enough about; touting his focus and honest approach to the project. The band describes their song writing process as a deliberately collaborative effort, indeed all the tracks on the album credited as written by Song Dogs as a collective. The lyrics are poetic but not cliche authentic and gritty enough to still feel honest. The juxtaposition of the album theme of the wildness of the country in contrast to the wildness of the city and it’s a nice layering. Some of the songs on the album have been written and introduced by a single member but the final track has everyone’s finger print. This works I think because of the contrast in styles. For example there is such a contrast in the styles of playing; Southerton who plays with a sloppy, blues inspired, soul infused enthusiasm. Watching him during most songs he doesn’t even open his eyes he’s so in the pocket, breaking into a peculiar shuffle when he’s really feeling a riff. In contrast the Ryan McCloskey is precise, very technical and engages the crowd, a performer often playing back to back with the bass player. It’s easy to see they feed off of each other’s energy, encouraging each other to a better presentation.
I was able to catch up with the band after the show, actually Southerton approached me after the show and we were able to chat briefly before the music from the next band steals him away and he is lost in the sound. McCloskey and bass player Sam Conver pick up where he left off, giving me the back story of the band formed in 2009 where most of them met as educators in the rough Philly school system. As they gear up to support the band playing I’m overwhelmed by the fresh sound with an old vibe, a nostalgic longing that we all have for untamed frontiers. Mentally replaying the scorching guitar riffs, subtle Latin inspired rhythms and a nod to classic rock n roll. I almost expect Greg Allman to emerge from the bathroom after a line of coke and take the stage, that’s the caliber of this band. I’m excited for what this band means to the Philadelphia music scene.
A band hailing from Brooklyn, Country Mice takes the stage for their sound check, the blonde front man a dreamy Cobain lookalike in a grungy red flannel with a sweet arch top semi hollow body and I’m in love. We’re able to catch a few songs from their set in the balcony, until a beer can slips to the stage below, crashing dangerously close to the stage, the reverie is broken and it’s time to catch our cab.Song Dogs’ prairie rock style is about to blow up and I am grateful I am able to catch them at the start of a trek to new musical frontiers that we hope they’ll take us on.
