Best in the west

Neko Case, The Wilbur Theater, Thursday, Feb. 3^rd

Not too many musical acts play The Wilbur Theater, as it mainly hosts comedians, but you wouldn’t be able to tell from some of the between-song banter found at Neko Case’s show last Thursday. The redheaded alt country chanteuse, along with backing vocalist Kelly Hogan, threw back punchlines with ease and even started inside jokes with the audience. The laughter was a bit of a welcome counterpart to Case’s characteristically moody ballads. And yes, her voice was as booming as ever.

As a first-time Case concertgoer, I was unsure as to whether the powerful vocals and dark Americana atmosphere so brilliantly showcased on her records would translate well live. I was mistaken. Though the stage was bare, save for Case and her backing band, the show was definitely entertaining. It was actually refreshing in a way – a return to a real experience based on music, not any spectacle. Even Case herself was unadorned, wearing a charcoal hoodie, gray skinny jeans, and no makeup, letting the sheer power of her voice shine through.

Her last album, Middle Cyclone (ANTI-), was released in 2009, so this tour is more of a relaxed jaunt than a promotional effort. Still, the setlist was dominated by that album’s material, including highlights “This Tornado Loves You” and “Prison Girls.” Case also played fan favorites “Things That Scare Me,” “Maybe Sparrow,” and the deceptively lilting “Star Witness,” which closed her set.

However, the show did lag a bit towards the latter end of her first set, as some of Case’s less memorable material tends to blend together, evidently in person as well as on record. Overall, though, Neko and her band successfully provided a warm, seasoned set for a winter weary crowd.

Wavves and Best Coast with No Joy at The Paradise, Friday, Feb. 4^th

Cats. California. Sunny, youthful melodies. These are just some of the things indie bands Wavves and Best Coast have in common. As such, it makes total sense that the two decided to co-headline a tour. Well, that and the fact that the bands’ lead singers (Nathan Williams and Bethany Cosentino, respectively) are dating.

Though each band might be defined as skewing more male (Wavves) or female, (Best Coast) the audience was decently gender-mixed, though definitely skewed heavily in the cross-gender hipster-college-kid demographic. But that’s to be expected from bands with song titles like “So Bored” and “Sun Was High (So Was I),” right? Such an attitude was expertly conveyed through the theme of the tour, aptly named “Summer Is Forever,” as beach balls and tie-dyed graphics were brought in to shine a little of their native Cali sun into the dreary Northeast.

Openers No Joy displayed that same youthfully irreverent attitude, but with less sun. The leading female members dazily thrashed around with their lengthy locks and oversized men’s cardigans and offered up their ‘90s alt rock/shoegaze tunes. Though some of their harmonies were eerily catchy, the majority of their set seemed lagged down in too much atmosphere and not enough actual songs.

By the time Wavves hit the stage, however, the audience’s mood perked up immediately. A quasi-mosh pit even formed towards the front of the stage as frontman Williams, bassist Stephen Pope, and drummer Jacob Cooper cranked out Wavves’ characteristically buoyant pop-punk-inflected songs. Their set list was well chosen, picking most of latest album King of the Beach’s (Fat Possum) songs, as well as older standouts (“So Bored,” “No Hope Kids”) and a Black Flag cover. Aside from a minor rhythmic mix-up, (for which Williams had Cooper pay the audience $1) the band’s sound was tight, their set never lulling.

Prior to the concert, I wasn’t sure if I wanted Wavves to perform first or Best Coast, as each have distinct moods. I do agree with the choice of having Best Coast follow, as their mellow, easy garage pop was the perfect closer. Though as previously mentioned, the crowd was decently gender-mixed, it definitely turned into a bit of a girlfest as Cosentino sang lines like, “Ever since I was a little girl/ My momma always told me there’d be boys like you.” Cosentino, bassist Bobb Bruno, and drummer Ali Koehler all adequately conveyed the songs’ appeal, but some of the girl-group dreaminess was lost due to the lack of backing vocals. Cosentino is an effective singer, but not as strong on her own. Where she was stronger was in personality, leading the crowd in a slow clap, singalong closer of “Each and Every Day.”

Though the show only lasted a few hours, I think most would agree that Wavves and Best Coast succeeded in their goal of brightening up our snowy little corner of the world.