Tuesday, December 6, 2011

The Lesser Ghost at Pianos (12/3/2011)



In the past I have gone to Pianos (on Ludlow street) to check out what sort of bands might be playing on a random night.  On any given night at Pianos you usually can find live music either upstairs or in the back room there, but this past Saturday was the first time I went there to seek out a specific band.  The Lesser Ghost is based out of New York.  They have played NYC venues such as The Studio @ Webster Hall, The Living Room, The Delancey, and Spike Hill (among others) over the past year.  The group has one EP to date that was released last April, but is halfway to completing a full-length debut album.  They give the EP away for free at their shows, but it can also be found on iTunes.  After the show, lead singer Ben said that the EP was a bunch of guys getting together as a band and recording to see what they could do, and then they would grow from there.  The way they played on Saturday night though, sounded less like a group working on their first full length album, and more like a veteran group that had been on the scene for much longer.  

 During the ten-song set, the Lesser Ghost brought a packed room of spectators through the highs and lows of rock n’ roll.  The five-piece band had great dynamics, with complementary components and riveting guitar solos.  They are influenced by traditional garage rock groups of the past few decades, which was evident when they finished their set with a pulsating cover of the Foo Fighters’ “This is a Call” from their first album.  Aside from that cover, the rest of the band’s set list was full of originals.  The drummer Ryan mentioned that they haven’t played a cover more than once; which is good for a band that is evolving their own songs with every performance.  Additionally, it keeps the shows fresh, so fans won’t know what to expect.

While all the songs that the Lesser Ghost played were quite enjoyable, the group’s personality was equally enjoyable.  Fans cheered as each band member was introduced, and in return, the band was very personable.  Despite never meeting him before, I found Ben to give off the vibe like he was an old friend.  His brief monologues were both witty and natural sounding.  Other members of the band calmly added in jokes of their own, and at one point, Ryan stood up from his drum set, took off his vest and threw it to a member of the audience who proudly put it on to generate a cheer. 

Towards the end of the set, Ben said into the microphone that he saw a bunch of new faces that night.  However, by the way the group interacted with the fans, I got the impression that they also had a devoted following of fans that comes to every show.  I imagine more and more audience members decide to stay loyal to the group with each show the band plays. 

The Lesser Ghost plays again on Sunday January 8th at Rockwell Music Hall (stage one for an acoustic show).  I regret that I will be out of town for that performance, but I hope to see them after that when they play at Arlene’s Grocery on February 9th.  It only took me one show to become one of those loyal fans of The Lesser Ghost.  They are currently unsigned, but I can see that changing as they continue to play shows and with the release of their debut album, which they are funding themselves with ticket sales.  Some of the better music coming through New York City comes from unsigned bands.  It’s just a matter of seeking out the right bands and the right places to see them.  The Lesser Ghost is a prime example of what New York has hiding beneath the mainstream music scene.  Stay tuned later in 2012 for news of their completed album.  You will be able to find out information here, or on their website, Thelesserghost.com, or from their Facebook page.
-JKS

Photobucket
(an original photograph)
Photobucket
(an original photograph)
Photobucket
(an original photograph)
 
Listen to "In Time" by The Lesser Ghost:
In Time by TheLesserGhost

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