The Ecstacy of Saint Caplan

Ben Caplan

A trio of storytellers graced the stage of the Rivoli Saturday night. First up was Whitney Rose, an alt-country singer wearing a slim white dress. Though she ended her set with a cover of Be My Baby, her songs mined country with a touch of pop on Do Si Do and Chivalry Is Dead. She sang about lovers whether separated (East Coast Woman's Blues) or jilted (First). Rose had a wistful Patsy Cline way about her. Her lead guitarist, Nichol Robertson (I first saw with Callon Furlong), provided some electrifying riffs.

Gavin Gardiner (The Wooden Sky) came out the spitting image of a hippie: lanky, bearded, long-haired and wearing a green army jacket. He channeled Bob Dylan (whom he covered in Tomorrow Is Long Time) in long narratives full of longing and pain. Whether it was drunkard (Go Straight) or a cold relationship (City of Light), he wryly commented on the human condition. His guitar playing was muscular with some country twangs.

Whitney Rose

The sold-out crowd was here for Ben Caplan (and the Casual Smokers). He came out, with his beard seemingly ever larger, on Southbound: a rambling, energetic song characteristic of his dark klezmer pop. Over the next hour, he would lead the willing mob in wordless ululations, call-and-response, and choruses. He even got everyone to sigh together (on the count of 3). He went through most songs from his first album (Stranger, Beautiful, Seed Of Love) as well as a couple of new tunes (Belly of The Worm, Under Control). The violinist provided some wild solos that, along with Caplan's often manic singing/roaring, received constant cheers. He remarked that singing at the Rivoli reminded him of Church. But with a charismatic wild-man, adoring followers, and sometimes apocalyptic lyrics, perhaps it was more the "Caplan Cult". Soon to take over the world.