JANA SUMMERS Beachwood Sparks singer/guitarist
Chris Gunst is California mellow, on stage at the
Troubador.
By Scott Schultz
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
The spirit of Neil Young abounded in his old Hollywood stomping
ground, The Troubador, on Thursday night as Los Angeles’
Beachwood Sparks led a triple bill of Young-influenced bands.
Beachwood Sparks, the only country band
“alternative” enough to grace the Sub Pop label’s
roster, returned to Hollywood to promote its new CD, “Once We
Were Trees.” The new disc is more countrified and psychedelic
then its previous release, but the band maintains its Southern
California persona.
The band, wears its influences (Buffalo Springfield, Flying
Burrito Brothers) on its sleeve, right down to the fact that
several of the members could be hired as Neil Young
impersonators.
The stage had a backdrop of a forest, with the desert to the
east and the ocean to the west, just like the band’s home
state. The slide guitarist even had a small tree on his instrument.
The atmosphere was definitely cannabis-friendly, as people were
puffing on the sidewalk in front of the club between bands.
The setting for the show was perfect, considering that this is
the same club where Young toiled in the ’60s and ’70s.
The club, which is the best preserved of the legendary Hollywood
clubs from the ’60s, has tremendous acoustics, which made the
aural candy of the jangly Beachwood Sparks a pleasure for the
ears.
Unfortunately, the band, led by singer/guitarist Chris Gunst and
slide guitarist Dave Scher, didn’t allow the songs to stray
from the way they were performed on the disc. Its live act is also
mellow to the point of restraint. The effect is more like listening
to the disc, while standing for an hour, rather than attending a
live concert.
Beachwood Sparks label-mates, Love Is Laughter opened the show
in fine fashion. The power trio specialized in bass-heavy jams, the
manner of pre-Nevermind grunge. While the Sparks represented the
early countrified Young, the openers demonstrated why he is also
known as the “Godfather of Grunge.”
Although Beachwood Sparks has put out two of the finest albums
of the last couple years, the band has plenty of room for growth as
a live act. The band would definitely benefit from an opening slot
for a larger, more experienced road act.
However, if Young had graced his old haunt on this night, he no
doubt would have beamed like a proud papa.