IT HAPPENED FRIDAY NIGHT: Loch Lomond

By Joe Izenman on February 27, 2011

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About half the people at the Peabody Waldorf Friday night were chumps. I don't know them personally, but it's a judgement I feel comfortable making because that's about how many people left between the third and fourth band.

Loch Lomond may not be everyone's cup of tea-but then neither is, well, anything. I'm personally not as keen on their latest album, Little Me Will Start A Storm-released a few days ago-as some of their other recent work. And they were certainly not my girlfriend's favorite band of the evening.

But come on, guys: how do you see a rock setup that includes a vibraphone, a clarinet and a flute and not be at least a little curious? You can leave after the first song, I don't mind - but it wasn't that late. Give something new a try.

I was glad to finally see Hail, whom I missed opening the vaguely disappointing Slowwave show a few weeks ago. It took them a song or two to warm to the room, but it was a solid set from a young band.

Elk & Boar were clearly the stars of the night-  the band everyone left after. This, despite the nonstop moaning of the guy behind me that they were terrible. I first saw Travis Barker leading blues outfit The Black Sails, but he's really found his niche partnered with the siren voice of Kirsten Wenlock.

And then everyone left, and missed one of the most impressive and creative melodic soundscapes to pass through Tacoma in a while. Not one of the myriad of instruments in play was excessive or unnecessary, and everything wove together beautifully. I, for one, thought it was awesome.

But half the crowd was already gone. Because they are chumps.