Brooklyn-based band the Damnwells have been receiving rave reviews the past few years for successfully melding Tom Petty-like jams with power-pop. The foursome brought their kinetic live set to the Blender at Gramercy Theatre last night as co-headliners with Brooklyn’s Ari Hest.
Hest, the Bronx-born singer/songwiter has received critics praise for his two Columbia releases, 2004’s Someone To Tell
Opening the show was Nashville singer Kyle Andrews. Though sheepish and unassuming, Andrews delivered a tightly focused six song set culled mostly from his album Amos in Ohio
The Damnwells walked on the stage after a quick set change and immediately hit a home run with the jagged punch of “I’ve Got You” which was followed up by “What You Get” and the incredible mid-tempo number “Kiss Catastrophe,” both from 20003’s Bastards of the Beat
From there the band segued into another fierce rocker with the stomper “Sell the Lie” and “Kung Fu Grip Kiss” both from last year’s masterpiece disc, Air Stereo
After an almost 30 minute set change Ari Hest took the stage at 10:30 and delivered a masterful set of ballads, gentle rockers and mid-tempo delights. Opening up with “When and If” Hest breezed through songs off of “The Break-In” including “Big Ben” which faltered a little, the boring “Just As Well” in which he played piano and credited New York songwriter Julian Velard for being his piano teacher. When Hest returned to guitar he played the plaintive “Ann-Marie”. Then Hest did what I would not have expected—he brought out the electric guitar for his single “So Slow” (this early in the set?) where the falsetto was used effectively. When that finished he really thew me for a loope when he started playing cuts off of his limited-edition DIY EP “Guilty Hearts” including the title track and the crisp “A Different Song,” featuring Matt Beck on mandolin.
Later in the set he added the incredible piano ballad “Sleep Tonight” which featured a lush, layered two and a half minute jam-outro which was well worth the set’s duller moments. When he chose to rock out which was few and far between he did so with flair and effect, as on the blistering”They’re Onto Me.”
A delicious cover of Big Star’s “I Won’t Take You” with Beck on mandolin and an incredible rendition of Peter Gabriel’s “Mercy Street” definitely proved that Hest is far more than meets the eye. Though he honed his craft in the clubs of Manhattan writing John Mayer-esque jams, Hest was anything but that. His rich baritone which takes command of your ears the minute he sings switched to falsetto in seconds and his polished, polite and humble stage presence was refreshing and worth watching.
When he chose to sing solo with just his voice and guitar as he did on Gary Louris’ “Bird Never Flies” (featured on “the Break-In”) and “I Got You” he let the sparse arrangement speak volumes about his craft. Though he lacked the sonic volume of the Damnwells, his arresting vocals and his tightly-focused backing band closed out the night with a strong sense of musicianship.. Hest is on tour through spring and summer in support of “The Break-In.” More information is available at www.arihest.com.
