Last Week Live: Delicate Steve, Ottobar

Last Thursday evening, the instrumental pop band, Delicate Steve — see interview on B3 — performed at Ottobar.

The modestly sized venue located on North Howard Street, just blocks from Homewood campus, was full for a weeknight of rising stars.

The New Jersey band stole the night with their medley of shockingly simple and astoundingly intricate tunes.

Delicate Steve recently gained widespread recognition when they performed with Yeasayer, an equally wild and eccentric band, in Governor’s Island, New York City this past summer.

Their performance helped them gain speed along with a recent review of their performance at the College Music Journal Festival in New York City made by NPR’S All Songs Considered radio show host, Bob Boilen.

Boilen, a music critic powerhouse, lauded the band’s live performance abilities, calling them “fierce.”

The burgeoning performers are on tour with Fang Island, a Brooklyn based band that makes music they self proclaim as “everyone high-fiving everyone.”

The two musical acts got together through their connection with Yeasayer.

The bands had just performed in Washington, DC and were heading to Chapel Hill, North Carolina for the next show.

At Ottobar, the band was composed of all the usual members with the exception of the percussionist: Steve Marion on lead guitar, Adam Pumilia on bass, Rob Scheuerman on rhythm guitar, and Mickey Sanchez on keyboard.

Booker Stardrum, drummer for the Brooklyn band Strange Shapes, filled in for Mike Duncan for the fall tour.

Though Stardrum was a fill-in, his drumming was superb and jived with the band’s euphonious array of sounds.

Delicate Steve played a short set of songs for their soon to be re-released album Wondervisions this upcoming February.

Their performance was riveting.

Steve’s sonorously sweet licks complemented the thumping booms emanating from Stardrum’s instruments, which he played standing.

Bassist Rob and keyboardist Mickey often deviated from the melodies by creating their own embellished sounds.

Mickey not only played the keyboard, but incorporated whistles and other object that served as instruments for the music. In addition, he let out weirdly fitting noises with his vocal chords, when the song merited it.

The band opened the show, unsurprisingly, with their song “Welcome-Begin.” It was a fitting beginning.

Their rendition of “Wondervisions” was absolutely stunning. The sound felt full as Steve played the simple yet sweet melody.

Whenever the music crescendoed, and it seemed as though the tension could not have been built anymore, Stardrum’s drumming edged the song forward.

“The Ballad of Speck and Pebble” got the crowd dancing.

The fun and lighthearted song compelled many people to join the dance floor and move to the beat. The enchanting refrain was bright and fun to listen to.

Their final and most famous song, “Butterfly” was excellently done, ranging from the surprising improvisation to the way the band dedicatedly stuck to the recorded version, highlighting the interesting layers of sound in the tune.

Overall, Delicate Steve’s show was exceptional.

Though understandable for a weekday night, it is unfortunate that the crowd was small.

However, the size of the audience was no reflection of the quality music played by the band — they are bound to gain more popularity and come back to Baltimore with even more of a following. Only time will tell.