The first time I experienced Deer Tick live, lead singer John McCauley took the stage by himself. For months after, I couldn't stop referring to Deer Tick as "him." Something about his performance was just so lonesome, so bare.
Having since witnessed the full band's show, it's apparent there's much more force behind this than one single man. Sure, it might be McCauley's raw (at times almost invasive) voice that first draws the listener in, but it takes you someplace else--someplace further down a poorly lit country road where his band members patiently wait … ghosts with a makeshift drum set. The music isn't particularly dark or depressing; it's sobering. It's one big exhalation--the realization that this is just how things are.
McCauley showed up at Southpaw on Saturday (11/8) shirtless, with just a black vest and a guitar strap covering his chest. The vest was promptly removed after the first song, making it clear from the get-go the band meant business; it was, after all, their record re-release party. McCauley also promised to be short on the between-song banter, announcing their plans for an "ambitious" set. It took a few songs to warm up; McCauley admitted, "I'm usually wasted when I play. I'm not tonight." There must have been enough whiskey in the audience's collective breath to do the trick.
While parts of the set may have dragged slightly, the overall momentum never suffered. I always admire bands whose sound and style is inherently loose, but whose live performance is so tightly executed. One might be quick to label Deer Tick as blues folk; this would be overlooking just how much these guys can r o c k. Sure, there's a healthy dose of twang nestled in there, but they still seem to possess an unfettered rock band mentality. Bottom line, this is music meant to be heard in a barn: a barn that's starting to fall apart, so we need not be concerned with how hard we stomp our feet.
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