While in no way a competition, 2005 and 2006 U.Va. Battle of the Bands winners shared the stage last Friday at Starr Hill, and the results were epic. Humor me while I diagnose a fictitious skirmish between the two, and hopefully, when all is said and done, a champion of the University music scene will be crowned.
The opening act, You Guys Are Girls, hail from Richmond and consist of the electric and acoustic sister front of Megan and Erin Scolaro. What began as an acoustic pop project evolved into an alternative rock band with the addition of a bass and drum male rhythm section in 2005. Claiming to be influenced by 90s pop icons such as Weezer and U2 or 80s legends like David Bowie and Elvis Costello, their sound comes off more like folk rock in the vein of Melissa Etheridge, the Cranberries or Rilo Kiley. Certainly worth a listen, You Guys Are Girls is a band to bookmark -- especially when their main Web site reads: "Don't be afraid of pop. It feels so good."
Next to the stage was 2005 winner Sparky's Flaw. Coming off relative EP success last year, this high school-band-turned-college has made a local name for themselves. It was easy to see that the crowd came out for these gentlemen, as the sold-out show reached its maximum capacity during their set. The band even had to ask its fans (high school and college students alike) to stick around after their set, which awards them points for courtesy.
It is safe to say that the sound of Sparky's Flaw has evolved in the last two years of touring. Always typically characterized as "radio-friendly, acoustic-driven pop rock," the band admits to dealing with multiple genres, including indie, emo, jam-band and straight-up alt-rock. Their wide variety of instrumentation -- everything from tubas to saxophones to synthesizers -- is the reason for this unapologetic refusal of classification. Guitar work akin to Rob Thomas, sax solos reminiscent of O.A.R. and piano dance ballads in the style of The Rocket Summer's emo poster boy Bryce Avery all categorize Sparky's Flaw as a band pleasing to the ear and fun to see live.
University student and lead singer Will Anderson's strong vocals (supplemented by BGV harmonies) are the group's trademark, and his lyrics seem to orient the band's music in one definitive direction. If there is anything decidedly traditional about Sparky's Flaw, it is that their songs are all about girls, feelings, teenage vitality and the ever burdening question of "How do I win her heart?" The real question is: Is it their flaw, or their saving graces? Either way, if this is your preferred lyrical content, then there is not much to consider blemished within Sparky's Flaw.
Finally, the headlining act, Sons of Bill, University Religious Studies Prof. Bill Wilson's own progeny, took the stage. From the first twangs of the Fender, the audience could tell that the music was about to reach a new stratosphere of professionalism. These three brothers, with the addition of drum and bass acquaintances, have returned from their diverse worldly pursuits -- such as cattle farming, grad school and the NYC bar music scene -- to re-knit the family band. The influences on the music are about as diverse as you could possibly hope. Drummer Todd Wellons even comes from the U.Va. Jazz Ensemble.
Yet these Aristotles of country rock know what they want to play. They don't mess around with genre-forging or independent music pioneering. It's simple. They steer clear of the temptation to be this or that, and simply put, are down home boys who dig Hank Williams, have a little too much to drink, then write the songs that feel good and mean something.
Their formula seems to be working. Winning Battle of the Bands in 2006 and selling more than 1,000 records in six months are indications that the sky is the limit for Sons of Bill. But pretentiousness cannot be found in their live show, as was evidenced by the spontaneous swing dancing in the crowd and comments from leader singer, James Wilson -- "This is country music. C'mon! Yell at me!"
Never failing to charm throughout the entire set, Sons of Bill played one hell of a country show. The piano, guitar and bass work floored the audience time and time again, and Wellons's train-track drumming could not have been more tasteful and on-target. The brothers sang angelic harmonies that could put many of their contemporaries to shame but never failed to rock and rock hard. Even indie scenesters and frat boys would have a hard time disagreeing about how good this music was.
Lyrically, any earnest listener could tell that these men had important things to say. While based in the arena of half-drunk and heart-broken lonesomeness, their songs address issues way beyond the typical country experience. One could find questions of long lost souls in search of truth, metaphors of existence and alcohol and analyses of common-day social stereotypes in every song.
Still, at times the show felt like a Ford Truck commercial and a Jimmy Buffet party combined. These good ol' boys sang Friday night into Saturday, and then some. This was the type of concert where everyone, by the end of the night, knew they were in the presence of great art. Those sitting in the back could not refuse to stand, and in the front, it was hard to. Perhaps it was the beer.
Either way, the show was a smash hit. If this was a rumble for the true king of the University's hometown heroes, then it is difficult to decide where to place the crown. Judging from aesthetics, it seems that Sons of Bill would have squeaked through with a victory. But by popularity's standards, it could have been Sparky's Flaw. This alone is reason to come out to both bands' future shows and help decide who really walks Charlottesville's music streets as the kings of the University.
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