The Buddha Den Presents: Andrew & the Pretty Punchers/Theresa Andersson/Wil Cope @ Canal Street Tavern 10.29.08

...as we at The Buddha Den closed out a string of great shows over the last few weeks, we had no idea that we had somehow been saving the best for last. Despite the encroaching cold, the crowd that gathered at Canal Street Tavern on this evening was in for a very special treat...

...kicking things off was the enigmatic Wil Cope, returning from his new base in Austin. Armed with a handful of new tunes from his watershed new album, Dead Moon Motel, Cope delivered a somber, yet playful, set of impeccable tomes on the desperation of modern living. In his absence, Cope's fingerpicked guitar and harmonica accompaniments have become more potent, yet elegant and subtle, recalling the finest moments of icons like Neil Young and contemporaries like Ryan Adams. With talk of a quick follow-up album, we can only hope that Cope continues to churn out more work in this delightful vein...



...up next, the buzz was brewing for the first Dayton visit by New Orleans-based artist Theresa Andersson. Employing looping devices to unimaginable effect, Andersson mesmerized the audience within moments and kept them rapt throughout her set. Andersson's ability to fuse her Swedish heritage (she sang one song entirely in that language) and the rich rhythmic textures of her adopted hometown of New Orleans created a bridge between the two wildly disparate cultures into a seamless new musical vernacular. While many artists will build up lush backing tracks in the studio, Andersson builds these delicate structures around guitar/violin/dulcimer/drums in real-time, in front of the audience, and proceeds to deliver such uninhibited performances that virtually anyone with a pulse is struck instantly with the realization that they are witnessing a talent of monumental proportions. If you missed Theresa Andersson last night, we urge you to never make that mistake again...




...rounding out the evening, Andrew & the Pretty Punchers had the unenviable task of following Theresa Andersson. Regardless, the lads served up their trademark raucous rock n' roll good and loud, inciting arena-sized singalongs throughout their set. As the band continues to introduce more new material into their set, it is becoming increasingly apparent that their incredible debut, Goodbye Ohio, will not the final word from Andrew & the Pretty Punchers...




For more photos from the evening, go here.