You Can Be A Wesley @ T.T. The Bear's Place 5/1

The Boston music scene, as we all know, is varied, yet often quite insulated. The bands we know well are the ones that no one else in the country has ever heard of, save for through the somewhat indiscriminate outlets of Boston blogs.

However, the adorable band You Can Be a Wesley proved their deserving of national recognition when they opened for Now, Now Every Children at T. T. The Bear’s Place last Friday.

Each song distinct in its own right, yet still sticking to the band’s adorably earnest theme, the set was a refreshing wake-up that brought a remarkable crowd for a second-opener. Several super-fans repeatedly screamed their allegiance to lead singer/guitarist Saara Untracht-Oakner, and another presented a drunkenly earnest interpretive dance in the band’s honor. In fact, all in the venue seemed to be at least bobbing their heads.

Though the sound system was unsurprisingly imbalanced and the snare that drummer Dan Goldenberg was working with was of a quality reminiscent of my third-grade marching band, the obvious musical gifts of all four members shone through any technical difficulties (…not to mention that it’s been awhile since this critic has seen a genuinely talented instrumental break that couldn’t classify as mediocre musical masturbation). SXSW 2010, PITCHFORK, PLEASE TAKE NOTE. The next big, unabashedly indie-adorable thing is coming out of Boston.

Here, readers, is what you missed, in pictures:







-Devon Maloney
(all photos by the author)