Lisa Savidge CD Release Party at The Rhythm Room Last Night

Melissa Fossum

Dan Somers (Lisa Savidge)

​ Lisa Savidge released their second album one week ago, and hosted an exclusive listening party at Bar Smith the day of its release. The band has been working hard over the past week, and the hard work paid off at last night's CD release show. $10 took care of admission and a complimentary copy of the album (or vice versa, however you'd like to look at it).

In case you're late to the party, Lisa Savidge is not the name of some songstress. There isn't even a woman in the band -- it's a group of five men who combine all sorts of subgenres into a unique hodgepodge that simply is Lisa Savidge, has Michael Lopez stated in a recent You Asked for it.

Elements of post-rock overlap with shoegaze, then jump to rock-rock and morph into an instrumental psychedelic crescendo. Their sound is simply their own. Just when you think you have them pegged as this or that, the music takes a sharp turn into something new.

Melissa Fossum

​ The band's stage presence was just as deceptive as their name. Nick Gortari's keyboard, synthesizer, and laptop hinted at electronica, while three of the members seemed to strategically take their sunglasses on and off at key moments, but this wasn't an 80's synth show. They played their self-titled album from beginning to end and barraged the audience with their variety of music. The shift between rhythmic and guitar driven to upbeat and poppy was jarring at times, but it encompassed the essence of the album.

They closed with "Appalachacha Pts. 1 & 2",

Melissa Fossum

Garnet (Dry River Yacht Club)

​which reaches a climactic ending after seven and a half minutes of rise and fall. Singer/guitarist Dan Somers described the song as "ridiculous", and embodied that by playing the last bit of the song on his knees.

Dry River Yacht Club closed out the evening with their usual nautical gypsy folk symphony craziness. Everyone who was not bolted down by an instrument danced nonstop, especially Garnet, the singer. Although the venue cleared out a bit after Lisa Savidge wrapped up their set, DRYC had plenty of die-hard fans bobbing along.

The Necronauts were originally scheduled to play last, but switched to the opening slot. Maybe they were worn out from their tour kick off at the Yucca Tap Room the night before. Their melodic punk makes them sound a bit like a modern version of The Dead Milkmen.

Critic's Notebook:

Last Night: Lisa Savidge CD release party at The Rhythm Room.

Personal Bias: Dry River Yacht Club is always a blast.

The Crowd: Lisa Savidge's friends and family with some familiar faces, including Factories and Jalipaz Nelson.

Overheard in the Crowd: "I wonder what kind of apron Garnet will be wearing."

Random Notebook Dump: Man, The Necronauts are going to be exhausted once they wrap up their tour.