Let's Dance

Thursday night at the Horseshoe Tavern promises fun instead of mopey indie. First up was Coronado with an updated 80s electrobeat sound complete with funky bass, slinky guitar, and catchy synth. Despite the early 9 pm set, they started the evening on a upbeat note. There were plenty of new songs, and some off their debut EP. All got everybody dancing on the floor, although some couldn't quite put down their cool stance and wriggled ironically. By the time the cowbell and polyrhythmic Latin drums came out, my heart was racing from the boogie.

Second set belonged to Triple Gangers, who mined intelligent electronic dance music for their tunes. Being only 2 members tonight, they relied on bass machines and other synth aids. This gave less oomph to their songs, a live drummer would really liven up their act. But their commitment on stage to deliver sweaty music still came through and kept the crowd moving.

For proof of the power of live drumming, Language Arts was the perfect example. Though the songs were driven by singer/guitarist Kristen Cudmore (she is Language Arts), her new crew including drummer Daniel McIntosh added dimensionality to her music. Tonight, she augmented her band with a trumpetist and a backup singer. There was less dancing, but the crowd was mesmerized by the layers in every Language Arts song. Cudmore's hip-hop affinity went beyond shout-outs and dropping verses, incongruous with her twee voice, she often sing-rapped her dense lyrics. When McIntosh dove into his signature syncopated heavy beats, it was propulsive and thrilling. The Horseshoe's perfectly balanced sound showcased their wonderful music. It was their CD release, and their biggest crowd yet, including Cudmore's folks from Nova Scotia. They deserve to break out, though the CD don't quite do their music justice. It was a night of great and fun music: no sad bearded dudes in lamentation, no faux-folk instrumentation, and no emotional wailing.