By Jhoni Jackson; photos by Kevin Griggs
The dimly lit lounge-style bar
tucked away inside the downtown W Hotel typically draws a fast-paced crowd of
crust, with its sleek décor and limos frequently circling the entrance. So when
Last Chance Runaround began their acoustic folk set, complete with a harp and a
heaping scoop of granola, a culture clash could have easily ensued. Instead,
lead singer Scott Linn Roberts and Sue Volkert (on harp and secondary
vocals) played their mellow repertoire as comfortably as they would at a laid-back
neighborhood coffee bar. Aside from a chatty, self-absorbed group up front
(seriously, it was like the Friends cast on the Central Perk couch), the
crowd was surprisingly responsive. Last Chance Runaround cites late-’80s
alternative band Winter Hours and their airy sound as a primary influence, and
they’re not kidding – they even have a disclaimer on their MySpace about not
being a Winter Hours cover band. But the band’s strummy interpretations give
the legacy of Winter Hours, who generally went underappreciated even after the
group’s dissolution, a much-deserved extended life.
The second local band, Little Tybee,
confidently shifted the show’s vibe from Earth-friendly to a spacey variety of
whimsical. With a solid folk underpinning and a penchant for ambient melodies,
the resulting sound would be the perfect soundtrack to running barefoot through
a grassy mountain valley by moonlight. Lead singer Brock Scott’s drawn-out
inflections didn’t hit a single sour note, even through occasional moments of
buzzing speakers. The band’s friendly musicianship felt natural and was visible
from the furthest corner of the bar – likely because Scott and guitarist Josh
Martin have been playing together since college, and everyone but violinist
Ryan Gregory played in Scott’s former band, The Brock Scott Quartet. Martin was
easily the best part of the show to observe — he plays with the intricacy of
Minus the Bear’s early work, but always with a smooth, gentle approach.
Gregory’s masterful violin playing topped off the sound perfectly, and Scott’s
voice, unfaltering and octave-crawling, elevates the music to the dreamiest of
altitudes.
Last Chance Runaround:
Little Tybee:
