Eric Corne is another man with a band that has recently put out an album described as Americana mixed with new wave and rock.  He did this with many other musicians helping.  It is too bad they were not there at the show though, because something was definitely missing. The band did their best, dressed the part of an indie band.  They had their essential flannels, two band members in fact.  They also had not one, not two, but three members including Eric Corne in spiffy indie hats of one kind or another.  Corne's hat matched with his facial hair and shirt gave him a Fidel Castro look that would only be strengthened more by his music, most notably the song "The Common Man". 

Starting with no introductions they played and went straight into the second song with a harmonica adding to the music.  The bass player tapped his heel much in the way that Pinback's bass player Zach taps his, making me wonder if this was a bass player sort of thing.  Maybe coincedence.  Unfortunately, this was the most interesting part of the show so far.  The music was edging on mediocre.  After the second song, Corne spoke finally, saying how Devotchka's singer, Nick Urata would be coming on later for a song.  They proceeded to play the next song and the most I got out of it was noticing the bass player's tattoo peeking out from his shirt.  I am guessing this is why he needed to leave a couple buttons unbuttoned.

By song four there was still nothing exciting or interesting about the music.  It had a 90's dull quality to it, somewhere on the level of matchbox 20.  They were trying to be rocking and fun, but what came out was a muffled version that fell short.  The next song did have a slight increase in invoking some kind of emotion.  I hoped it would only get better as Nick Urata came on finally with beer in hand.  He seemed uncomfortable, or uncertain though and his addition was limited, hard to hear and ineffective.  You could tell his commitment to the song from the swigs he took in between the chorus where he had a part to sing.  The song was decently fun, but the best part was the instrumental which had a country/blues/rock feel to it.

Before the next song Corne admitted his Canadian citizenry, though let us know he currently lives in Los Angeles.  He then jokingly told us how Nick sings in the next song, but he could not afford his double union rates.  We will never know the real truth to that, but they played nonetheless.  The song was called "Black Guard" and had a country moaning guitar twang to it.  This gave the music some emotional draw, but further in it had the feel of a predictable sad part in a so so comedy/drama movie.  You know the part, where things have gone wrong, but soon enough things will turn around, at least once this music ends.  The harmonica also returned, but my interest did not.

The last song, "Evil Men" was the best of the night for Corne, but still could only be loved by the emotionally shallow.  The lead guitarist was doing some good playing though and the keyboard did some nice jamming of his own.  Usually the masturbatory nature of jamming would drive those without the taste for it mad with annoyance, but because they kept it to a minimum it was actually slightly enjoyable.  As a whole though, Eric Corne might have things to say, but he says them in a way that does not give his words any support.  Give me passionate nonsense over thoughtful boring music any day.