Lost and Found

April 2nd, 2007 posted by robb

David Usher
Mod Club – 03.24.07
Rating: 9/10

David Usher – he’s still around?  YES, and judging from the packed crowd at the Mod Club on Saturday, he never really left.  David Usher has this strange allure and great talent that unites the "back in the day", ripped jeans, long-haired grundgies, now late twenty-something yuppies, with a crowd of musically unsure teenage (mostly) females.  This was evident from the fact that the first three rows were packed with the latter demographic and the dedicated Moist fans (they’re easy to spot) were perched quietly at the back of the club, waiting patiently to rock out to 90’s hits Silver or Tangerine.

Doors opened at a decent time and after picking up my tickets at the will-call, my group rushed for our secret "best seat in the house" spot (sorry, if I told you, I’d have to…).  NLX opened and quite honestly, every song sounded the same.  They played for about half an hour and managed to sneak a Depeche Mode cover.  After their forgettable set, David User hit the stage.

The energy in the band and the crowd was synchronous – those on stage did not miss a beat, nor did those on the floor.  It was amazing to see the electricity and energy of the crowd rocking out to Black Black Heart, Devil by my Side, Jesus was My Girl, among many others.

David Usher was a true showman, occasionally stepping off stage and chatting with the crowd between songs, and frequently walked into the crowd mid-song to sing with.  The highlight of the night was during his last song, where after inviting one girl to sit on stage, dozens of teenage Usher lovers followed suit.  While he was setting up the last song, someone yelled “F Train” and suddenly the guitarist strummed the chords and ripped into the song.  After the song finished to a roaring crowd, Usher broke back into the finale, St. Lawrence River.  The deafening singing from the crowd almost drowned out Usher’s heartfelt acoustic rendition.

So has David Usher lost it?  Perhaps he lost traction with his last album “If God Had Curves,” but I think he’s redeemed himself, and at least definitely still knows how to pull off a rockin’ show.  We ended up picking up the latest album “Strange Birds” after the show and from what I saw on stage, I don’t think it will disappoint.

REVIEWED BY:  MICHAEL PAN

Section: Uncategorized