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The Great Bamboozle will hopefully soon be a staple
in the New Jersey music scene. As I gathered with fellow
acoustic rock and jam band fans, I was content to be
a part of the emerging event..
You’ve got your G Love and Special Sauce on one
stage. Your Jesse Malin on the other. Matt Nathanson
took the inside stage after Tristan Prettyman. And our
buddies Under New Ownership played next door. With more
than 50 acts, it was hard to pick out which arena to
visit and when.
Luckily, I knew who I was there to see, and the evening
began watching some San Diego amazement take the stage.
Tristan Prettyman, that is. The gal with raspy vocals
and some sweet acoustic skills to match.
This soft-spoken, comical songstress is nothing short
of brilliant, as was her performance. Prettyman is one
of those artists who doesn't need much more than her
guitar to steal the show. Her vocals were spot on--the
same lush, sensual sounds we adore on her latest release,
Love EP.Musically, she can maintain a swaying rhythm
using the magic of her pretty little hands running over
the strings of her guitar. Overall, her performance
was coffeehouse acoustic rock meets national touring
act deserving of all the attention she's been getting.
"Evaporated" is my favorite song, which she
of course played and played well. "Void",
another favorite that she performed painlessly, was
amazing live because I could feel the emotions of her
lyrics. She sang, "I am void, let's see you try
to fill me/Mostly I'm just annoyed, with the situation
that never fails to find me."
Opening up for buddy Nathanson and recording pals G
Love and Special Sauce, Prettyman told us a few tales
about her musical friends in between songs.
Then, she took a swig of her beer and followed it up
with a sip of hot tea. "So my strategy is a beer
and then tea," she explained of her stage antics.
Antics they weren't...like graceful gestures as the
gal revealed to us that she was able to surf before
the gig.
She also entertained us with "Shy that Way,"
a song she penned alongside Jason Mraz.
She entertained us with her version of Britney Spears
"Toxic", a song I would have otherwise detested.
But "Trizzy" rocked it and brought a depth
to the song that the blonde bombshell can never convey.
"Thanks for supporting really bad stewardess outfits,"
Prettyman laughed. With what may have been a purposeful
guitar riff mistake, she added, "Shit, I did it
again…oops!"
Finally, it was time to see the headliner we were eager
to see perform.
Opening up with the energized tune, "Lucky Boy",
San Francisco-native Nathanson was stoked to tell us,
"tonight we're going to fucking romance you."
(Only if you're a fan can you understand his twisted
yet entertaining stage banter!)
He interjected a little "I want you to want me…"
at the end, which we enjoyed. Keeping with his theme
of "I'm an 80s rock star," he spoke, "Thanks
for having the eye of the tiger."
He jammed on with "Bare" and went into "Curve
of the Earth", a song requested pre-show during
our interview by our friend, Leah. (Yes, he did wink
at her.) Excusing the band from the stage, he showcased
his gritty, emotional vocals during "Angel".
The great thing about the show was how Nathanson interjected
a few "oldies" such as "Church Clothes"
and "Then I'll be Smiling" into the repertoire.
Throwing in some 80s banter, he continued on with the
James cover, "Laid", and tossed in a little
Counting Crows lingo into "Bent." All the
songs were energetic and smooth.
Toss the set list aside for a moment – the most
important thing about this performance was Nathanson's
merge with the band members. Aben on electric and keys,
Jason on drums, and our favorite bass player on his
strings. The stage chemistry between these guys rock,
throwing a mature spin on a garage band that knows how
to keep things sounding professional.
Onto a bar next door where our funkish Van Halen-like
local superstars, Under New Ownership took the stage.
These guys have a garage band stage chemistry with a
sound that is smooth as a slurpee on a hot day. Yeah,
it’s like that.
The Great Bamboozle was great indeed. With large crowds
swarmed around various stages, it was obvious that this
festival can only get bigger and better. And I’m
looking forward to watching that happen.
Reviewed by Kristen Fischer
DiscoveringArtists.com
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