plus horns this time.
So tonight’s the night! The Valley of the Vapors festival opens it’s sixth year with a Sophie’s Choice of a night in which you have to choose between a dusty, cowpunk lineup in a warehouse or a sleek, current affair down the street.
At Low Key Arts, doors open at 6 p.m. and the show pops off at 7 p.m. with Ryan Power, an Arkansas/Vermont songwriter who recalls Ariel Pink one minute and Jackson C. Frank the next; Andrew Anderson, who, with an impromptu four song set, astounded a packed White Water Tavern last night (watch this); Tumbledown, an alt-country outfit fronted by MxPx’s Mike Herrera and Lucero, playing what–let’s face it–will be one of their last small venue shows ever. Ben and Co. brought their horn section along for the ride, as well. Should be a treat.
Maxine’s Pub provides the other option for the hipper-than-thou crew and/or folks with an ear for synths. The night opens up with locals Man Against Fire, who are ghosts on the internet (but I suspect this is them), followed by Texan twee-punks with a Gary Glitter-y stomp, Giggle Party, Memphis garage staples River City Tanlines (fronted by an ex-Lost Sounds member), and, finally, atmospheric Chicago two-piece–think “midwestern take on The xx”–My Gold Mask closes out the night.