Guster leaves no doubt - they're still able to play
Orpheum Theatre, Boston, October 31, 2009
Reviewed by Jeffrey B. Remz
Prior to starting Two Points near the end of the second set of the sold-out show, Guster's lead singer Ryan Miller marveled at the surroundings. Miller, who formed the band with two his mates while a student at nearby Tufts University in the early 1990's said "I don't think we had any idea we'd still be able to play music."
In fact, Guster went back in time, playing their very very fine 1999 CD, "Lost and Gone Forever" in its entirety from start to finish in the second set, while mixing it up in the fast-paced 12-song, 55-minute opening set.
Throughout, Guster played was high on the melodic end, sometimes stretching out the songs, but seemingly always playing with a purpose. Good use of lighting helped on the visual side as well.
And there was a lot of emphasis on playing with band members along with a fourth key player, Joe Pisapia, going from instrument to instrument. Miller, Pisapia and Adam Gardner seemed to constantly be on the go between keyboards, bass and guitars throughout. Gardner also took turns on lead vocals on about four songs, although Miller held down most of the lead chores.
Miller proved to be a solid, affable front man - he sings really well with good range and was more expressive and emotional than Gardner. Yet, they sometimes swapped lead vocal lines in songs and complimented each other quite well on harmonies. Being together for so long can have that effect on you.
Guster threw a few twists into the set - two women helped out on several songs on cello and violin to good effect. The cellist especially played a key role on So Long.
The energetic Fa Fa proved to be one of the strongest, most musically powerful songs of the show with a three-piece horn section adding to the sound.
Not everything worked. A sextet of youths proved less effective in adding much to All the Way Up to Heaven, which would have worked just as well with Gardner on falsetto vocals. A between set video about "Lost" lacked focus and was downright dull.
But the "Lost and Gone Forever" set was pure pleasure. While Miller may have opined that Guster would never have devised a set list playing songs from beginning to end, doing so did not detract from the set. Miller, Gardner and drummer/percussionist Brian Rosenworcel (he was also very solid throughout the night whether on drums or moreso percussion where he set the musical beat throughout without ever overdoing it) started along with Wish, getting a bit campy by descending on the lighting rig to the stage before Pisapia came down on his own rig to head to the keyboards. They did justice to song after song in the second half with nothing ever sounding like it was a decade old and rote.
This was not a band big on ego at all. When Miller thanked Guster for being their own opening act (there was no opening act), you knew he was obviously joking. The emphasis was on the music for Guster, and that was more than enough to carry the night, leaving no doubt why they're still able to play music.
