Photo by Christina Sack. More on Flickr »
Despite the fact that I rushed to SLU to be on time, only to find out that they decided to start the show an hour late, I had a great time seeing Alex Brown Church’s band Sea Wolf rock the small, intimate stage at the Billiken Club. The first opener, Sara Lov, crooned to the audience in her rich voice, her only backup band a record player playing her tunes. Port O’Brian was the complete opposite. The crowd was dancing with such fervor that a good whipping from stray ponytails was a legitimate hazard. I got a chance to meet Church and experience the genuine indie awkwardness that seemed to drain away when his band entered the red-lit stage. They kicked the night off with “Winter Windows,” off their first album, a gypsy song of sorts that really woke me up for the rest of the set. Songs from their newest album, White Water, White Bloom brought even more energy. “O Maria!” was so catchy that even though I hadn’t heard it before the show, I found myself singing along to the chorus.
At one point, the lights shut off mid-set. I could see the confused faces of each band member, but they just kept smiling. While waiting for the lights to be fixed, Church took a swig from his beer and went ahead and started the next song. After their set came to a close, the crowd continuously shouted “You’re a wolf!” The band re-entered for the expected encore and finished the night off with the requested song of their namesake. “You’re a Wolf” remains their strongest and most compelling song. From that, to the awesome marxophone solos, to the witty banter from the intensely bearded guitarist, the show left me wanting more.
