My first thought after walking into the back area of pianos was how silent the room was (not including the egregiously loud music that floated through the door to the bar). My next thought, which continued to captivate me for the majority of the night, centered on what I heard coming from the stage. Rapt with attention, the crowd was heavily focused on the beautiful, delicate guitar and vocals coming from Strand of Oaks. Reminiscent of Sam Beam and others that need only a voice and simple melodies to create a mesmerizing performance, Tim Showalter of Philadelphia was wooing the audience with his own brand of incredible folk.

The music, like most of the genre, wasn’t birthed from happiness or good fortune. After losing his house and fiancé, Tim began writing music while living on park benches in the Philly area. The result was a somber album, but one accepting the need to move forward.

When Yellow Ostrich took the stage, the crowd began to awaken from their trance. Silent reverie was replaced by bouncing, singing, and (sometimes) random exclamations from the crowd. Singer Alex Schaaf continuously and apologetically warned those watching that he would be playing a mixture of old and new. Considering how solid the set was, it certainly never seemed as though people were put off by the possibility of missing some of their older favorites. In fact, the newer songs, if anything, were an exciting preview of things to come.

Though certainly not the first to loop live sounds created on stage, Yellow Ostrich does an excellent job of taking a three-piece band and expanding the sound to be much more. Schaaf managed to create a harmonious choir using his own voice, while looping guitar riffs to generate a fuller sound. Multi-instrumentalist, and the band’s newest member, Jon Natchez, incorporated not only the bass, but also several brass pieces, which gave their tracks a more unique texture. Drummer Michael Tapper, with a modified, stripped-down kit, was precise and inventive, focusing more on the incredible rhythms and beat patterns he was creating than overdone showmanship. I can easily say that both bands that I watched take the stage last night completely blew me away.

Check out these great videos shot at Pianos by our friends over at Big Ugly Yellow Couch.  You can definitely expect a buzzsession with Yellow Ostrich soon.