Indie still reigns at House Cafe
September 23, 2008
The sound of indie rock floated throughout The House Cafe, 263 Lincoln Highway, on Monday night with three diverse acts.
The heaviest sound of the night came from the final band and headliner, Say Hi.
Formerly Say Hi To Your Mom, the lo-fi rock group followed the indie theme of the night, but with heavy guitar and drums. The band made smooth transitions from fast to slow within their songs.
“I don’t know a lot about Say Hi, but my friends know their music and I figured I’d see them,” said audience member Mona Hosseinian. “I’m open to any genre.”
Deep, mellow vocals intrigued the audience.
Say Hi was not as connected to the audience as the other acts, but the group voiced its appreciation to those who came to the show.
The second act was the three-piece rock band, Jukebox the Ghost. Their pop-rock sound, with keyboard, guitar, drums and double harmony, brought the audience to full attention.
Comparable to the sound of Jacks Mannequin, Jukebox incorporated piano into their songs which added softer tones and depth as it layered well between the guitar and drums.
Audience participation was greatly encouraged by Jukebox and it was reciprocated. Passionate guitar and piano solos graced the ears of the audience.
“I came to see Jukebox. I am their biggest fan! The show has been really good so far,” said audience member Alexandra Kavanau.
The opener, New Yorker Pepi Ginsberg (who usually performs with a full band), went solo for the night and her current tour.
With her electric guitar in hand, Ginsberg produced a soulful voice and wide vocal range with poetic lyrics. She was very in-tune with her performance and captivated the audience with tales of her travels and life experiences, reflected in her songs.
Stage persona is a must when connecting with an audience, and Ginsberg had just that. Her happy persona made her very personable which grabbed and kept the audience’s attention.
During the performance, Ginsberg’s voice was light, almost air-like, but other times it was deep and soulful.
Her guitar echoed this with crisp chords, highlighting a night filled with indie rock.