Alameda - Tin Can Alehouse, San Diego, CA - March 22, 2012

[from Portland, OR] I’m not a huge fan of the House of Blues chain, so this was a nice change of pace – small minorly hipster bar that provided me with my first sparkling wine in a can ever, with a straw attached, enchanting – they also had lots of posters for Coathangers shows, which is a band I tried and failed to see at previous SXSWs, and it turns out they’re from San Diego and frequent this place –it turned out that the majority of the audience, at least initially, was the other bands – this band made me nervous at first glance, Oregon oatmeal, very earnest – they were a guy on guitar singing and a redhead on a cello accompanying him with some “woos” – I ended up really liking them – the guy was a soulful crooner (a la Buckley) – they had great melodies, sounding like Iron and Wine or Mumford & Sons sometimes and more plucky at other times – the rhythm and vocals were solid – the redhead cellist was fascinating – she was very youthful with her long red waves and no makeup but I suspect she’s a black-humor feminist under it all – she’s drama personified – her playing was really good, providing bass and slaps – she gave them a Loreena McKennit quality – they reported later in their show that they were usually a five-piece and were having to make up for the missing band members – they were unique, beautiful , sincere and joyful I’m not a huge fan of the House of Blues chain, so this was a nice change of pace – small minorly hipster bar that provided me with my first sparkling wine in a can ever, with a straw attached, enchanting – they also had lots of posters for Coathangers shows, which is a band I tried and failed to see at previous SXSWs, and it turns out they’re from San Diego and frequent this place –it turned out that the majority of the audience, at least initially, was the other bands – this band made me nervous at first glance, Oregon oatmeal, very earnest – they were a guy on guitar singing and a redhead on a cello accompanying him with some “woos” – I ended up really liking them – the guy was a soulful crooner (a la Buckley) – they had great melodies, sounding like Iron and Wine or Mumford & Sons sometimes and more plucky at other times – the rhythm and vocals were solid – the redhead cellist was fascinating – she was very youthful with her long red waves and no makeup but I suspect she’s a black-humor feminist under it all – she’s drama personified – her playing was really good, providing bass and slaps – she gave them a Loreena McKennit quality – they reported later in their show that they were usually a five-piece and were having to make up for the missing band members – they were unique, beautiful , sincere and joyful