Photos and Review by Renee Deal
Guster photos HERE
David Wax Museum photos HERE
Boston music fans were treated to a night of cool alternative rock when Guster came to the house of Blues last Saturday with special guest David Wax Museum. First up David Wax Museum hit the stage. This was my first introduction to the band and wow… just wow! I was blown away with the variety of unique original songs and unique instruments they used during the show. They had the standard drums and guitar, but throughout the show they used a ukulele, a jaw bone for percussion, and an accordion to name a few. This is a fun band to watch and their sound is unique. They told the audience that they draw a lot of their inspiration from Mexican folk music. One highlight of the show was when lead singer of David Wax and wife Suz Slezak dedicated a song to a fan who had passed away and whose memorial service was that very day. The fan used to write them lots of letters that they found to be inspirational. It was really a touching tribute. To get an idea of their unique sound check out their songs, “Guesthouse”, or “Harder Before it gets Easier”. Links to their music and tour dates can be found at their website davidwaxmuseum.com.
Boston band Guster took the stage as fans went wild! Clearly they are a home town favorite with a cult following. I even talked to one audience member who said that he and his friends had been on two fan cruises with Guster. This was my first time seeing Guster live and they really put on a fantastic show! The stage was jam packed with instruments and there were colorful knitted blankets all over the place. It looked like someone’s grandmother had been hard at work knitting, and helped decorate the stage, but it made for a fun, funky, colorful backdrop and really complimented the band’s laid back style. At times they even pulled out a guitar that was covered in a knitted blanket… which was hysterical to see!
Bostonians love Guster! And lots of people sang along to each song, but with the first note of, “Barrel of a Gun” the place really erupted with fans cheering and singing at the top of their lungs. One fun part of the show was when lead singer Ryan Miller noticed a fan in the audience holding up his phone with a friend on Face Time so the friend could watch the concert. He asked for the phone to be handed up to him on stage and he started chatting with the guy on the phone named Andy. This must have made Andy’s night… or year! Gardner chatted with him for quite a while and even made up a little song about him on the spot!
This was an all around fun night. The guys in the band are all multi talented often sharing time with vocals and on various instruments. Guster played “Satellite” towards the end of the evening. It’s my all time favorite Guster song! They even treated the audience to a special horn performance with the band playing trumpets, trombones, and a saxophone. Guster closed out the show with a special “unplugged” performance with only acoustic guitars, a banjo and a shaker and stick for percussion. To learn more about Guster’s music and upcoming shows visit the band’s website guster.com.
Guster and The David Wax Museum at the House of Blues – Boston, MA
