Monday night we headed down Ludlow Street in the Lower East Side to catch Emanuel & The Fear and Darla Farmer (both bands on the roster of the small Nashville-based label Paper Garden Records) at Pianos.
Emanuel & The Fear hail from Brooklyn and boy did they pile onto the stage. Totaling eleven members, the band boasted a horn section, two violins, a cello and flute, along with the typical bass/guitar/keys/drums setup. Frontman Emanuel Ayvas led the band through a selection of solid tunes, including the terrific "Jimme's Song" from the band's recent EP and a cover of Radiohead's "National Anthem." Ayvas' voice fluctuated between a country-ish spoken growl and an energetic bellow. The rest of the band mirrored these crescendos with ease, accentuating and fueling the massive tunes. Emanuel & The Fear really do put the "orchestra" in "orchestral rock." And, even with double digits on the stage, they somehow managed to maintain a balanced and distinct sound in the small room.
Nashville's Darla Farmer was next and, while they didn't have as big of an ensemble as their labelmates, they delivered a similar helping of full-bodied pop rock. Though they had recently experienced the misfortunes of having their van looted and crashing into a Homeland Security van on their way into NYC, the band seemed considerably at ease on stage. Singer and guitarist Clint Wilson isn't afraid to let his voice explode into a raspy punk shout, and the band pulled in many different dynamics and approaches, from New Orleans jazz to heavy rock riffage, to complete their musical equation.
We had to skip out before headliners Bryan Scary & The Shredding Tears (who play an EP release show at 92YTribeca on the 10th) took the stage, but we were happy to catch the two ambitious and enthusiastic opening acts. No doubt we'll be seeing and hearing much more from both of these bands soon.
Upcoming NYC dates for Emanuel & The Fear:
October 6 - The Giraffes, Hank & Cupcakes, Emanuel & The Fear at Crash Mansion
