A Pretty RNDM Fiesta – RNDM at First Avenue 11/15/12

Tour Dates 11/18 Boulder, CO The Fox Theatre 11/21 Los Angeles, CA Troubadour 11/23 San Francisco, CA Great American Music Hall 11/25 Portland, OR Doug Fir Lounge 11/26 Vancouver, BC Biltmore Cabaret 11/27 Seattle, WA Showbox at the Market Read More RNDM RNDM (pronounced simply “random”) features songwriter/artist Joseph Arthur, Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament, and drummer Richard Stuverud, who has performed with the Fastbacks …

First Avenue’s stage Thursday night was set up in a curiously cartoon-like fashion: a giant colorful backdrop resembling what could be part of a Lichtenstein painting bore power trio RNDM’s name and a similar image was plastered on drummer Richard Stuverud’s kick drum. Guitarist and lead singer Joseph Arthur, bassist Jeff Ament and Stuverud walked on stage dressed head to toe in blaze orange; their faces hidden behind the band’s playful signature headwear, a ski mask complete with little black animal ears. Clearly, this is a band that is not afraid to be silly and have fun with their image. And, as the evening’s performance would strongly indicate, this is a band that is having the time of their lives.

A small gathering of fans huddled close to the stage wondering just what this fascinating musical amalgamation would sound like. The lovely strum of opener “What You Can’t Control” from the band’s debut album Acts(released last month) gently ushered the audience into set that featured several frenzied and fun moments. The phones and cameras came out in droves when Ament removed his mask after the first song. Ament is something of an stoic figure, especially to Pearl Jam fans, so being able to watch him let loose in a smaller, more intimate club was a real treat. Arthur waited two songs before taking off his mask and said very little, keeping the songs coming fast. The band hit their stride with jangly fan-favorite “Hollow Girl” (complete with extended jam!) and the wonderfully spirited “The Disappearing One” (that one had me singing and pointing along with the “Yeah yeah yeah”
chorus!) When I couldn’t take the strain of constantly turning my head from Arthur to Ament (I was standing between the two mics) I took pleasure in watching a very animated and hilarious Stuverud toss his drumsticks into the air and make faces at the audience all while keeping impeccable rhythm.

Joseph Arthur from RNDM

“Williamsburg,” a groove-heavy ditty that had Arthur working his wah-wah pedal hard and encouraging the crowd to clap with the beat, was met with hoots and yells of approval. Arthur kept the good vibes going and gave a nod to the city by changing the line in “Walking Through New York” to “Walking Through Minneapolis.” The whiplash of crunchy tune “Look Out!” got the blood pumping and Arthur did not spare us from a good face melting, laying it thick during “Throw You To the Pack.” Really, the show had such a great dynamic; slower songs didn’t hinder the pace, mostly because all the songs are fantastic and definitely because Arthur is such a soulful singer and electric performer. Hell, the entire band was on fire; their chemistry was through the roof. The show’s climax was probably when Arthur climbed atop Stuverud’s kick drum as Ament and his sparkly
bass shot melodic pulsations into the air.

An already enjoyable set was rounded out with special guest Craig Johnson (formerly of the Jayhawks) playing guitar and sharing vocals with the band for “Can’t Exist,” a song from Arthur’s 2004 solo album Our Shadows Will Remain (a song so good, it’ll make the hairs on your arm stand on end.) The encore saw Arthur perform the delicate “Cherries in the Snow” alone before Ament and Stuverud came back to the stage for an inspired version of The Psychedelic Furs’ “Into You Like a Train” and a brilliant mash-up of Nina Simone’s “Ain’t Got No/I Got Life” and The Clash’s “Magnificant 7.”

I briefly spoke to Stuverud after the show and he talked about how much fun he has playing music with Ament and Arthur. He said the first couple shows on this tour were a little shaky, as they were trying to find their footing as a live band. Tonight, however, he said with a smile, they found it. I couldn’t agree more.

RNDM at First Avenue, Minneapolis (11/15/12)

emily () ♥ rndmband.com