I've always regretted not learning to play the piano. Watching
Marco Benevento live makes me regret that decision even more. I'm not sure how
he does it but somehow he manages to turn his shows into raging dance parties.
Friday night at Nietzsche's was packed; it was a wall to wall dance
floor. It was a celebration of a different kind. It was proof that you
don’t always need raging guitars to complete a song. It was proof that structurally
sound music will reign supreme. It was proof that a piano in the right hands
can be a brutal force. There is a genius to what Marco does that almost defies
description, but I’m going to try.
On this tour, he is joined by Ween Bassist
Dave Dreiwitz and drummer Andy Borgar (Tom Waits, Norah Jones, Ani
DiFranco). It’s a brilliant trio of dynamic skill and energy. However,
before I delve into my thoughts on this show, I want to take a step back to
talk about the magic of the room. I review a lot of shows at
Nietzsche’s. I love seeing shows here. I think artists and bands like to play at
Nietzsche’s because there is an intimacy that creates amazing moments between
artist and fans. A packed house in this space is intense. The crowd
is always passionate. Even a smaller crowd packs a punch. The years
of wear on the club are evident, but not in a ghastly kind of way. Music has
been made here. There is something special about seeing at show while
surrounded by the rich history of bands and artists that have performed
here. If you catch a show at Nietzsche’s, take a look at the signatures
on the ceiling. You would be amazed at who has played in this room over
the years.
As I watched Marco do his thing behind the
keys, it feels like he is destined to become one of the legends that “once
played this room.” He can break down the most evil of songs and weave it into a
beautifully timed masterpiece. So what does that mean? Let me explain. As
the trio broke into their second song, Marco’s fingers hammered out a guilty
pleasure of mine. I was surrounded by a crowd of guys that jammed, danced and
raged as he teased this devilish little earworm. As Marco continued
forward, the guys around me questioned the song. “This is awesome,” one guy
yelled to me, “I swear I know this song, what is it?” I smiled as I shamefully
admitted the tune was “Toxic” by Britney Spears. The boys shrugged it
off. They didn’t care because what these three were doing to the song was
amazing.
Great music is great music. A major
selling pop hit may not make it on your playlist, but what I appreciate in
Marco’s rendition is the acknowledgement that the song possesses musical value.
It’s catchy. It makes you want to dance. When you hear a song
played for its musical value minus the pop culture influence, you realize
what’s underneath the auto tune and background dancers. Marco’s music is pop
music for the intelligent ear. A song like “Limbs of the Pine”, which he
performed Friday night, is the perfect example the way Marco cleverly composes
a pop song. Its hook is clean and grips you within seconds. The lyrics
are simple and instantly grab you. This is not to say the song is
uncomplicated or sophomoric. It’s quite the opposite. There is a subtle
complexity to the tune that is masterfully hidden because it should be.
Marco directs the listener. There is no guessing at what or where you
should be listening.
His choice of covers and teases for the
evening is like looking into an influential peephole: The Bangles, the White
Stripes, the Grateful Dead and Elton John. The trio even wooed me with an
amazing and thoughtful rendition of one of my favorite songs “Heartbeats” by
the Swedish duo The Knife (although the song has been more recently popularized
by Jose Gonzales and Royal Teeth). In addition to the covers, Marco and
band tackled several new tunes as well and older catalog options. It didn’t
matter really what they played, the dancing never stopped.
What is really special about Marco is this sense of playful experimentation
that you feel during his shows. I think
this stems from the lack of a set list. Without the restraint of obligation,
the trio is free to go with the crowd.
It’s a skill I’ve spoken about in previous blogs, but watching Marco and
crew carve their set list as the night progressed was a truly remarkable
experience. The band absorbed the crowd’s
energy and served up the perfect songs at the perfect moments. The crowd ate up every note. The room was filled
with love because Marco plays from a place of love and purity. It was the perfect example of giving to get.
I’ve seen Marco perform before and he plays with remarkable
energy. You almost feel bad for the
piano. You have to question how he melds
his keys with effects pedals and synth to create this mystical sound. It all happens so fast; it’s like musical sleight
of hand. You hear what he’s doing behind this monstrous set-up and have to
simply marvel at the skill it takes to pull it all off. Marco may create pop inspired, dance-inducing
music, but don’t let that fool you. He is an extremely studied and talented
musician. He’s is a wolf in sheep’s
clothing. Well, Friday night he played
in a wolf head. Literally, a giant mascot wolf head showed up and he popped it
on and played. That’s the unpredictability of a Marco show. Anything can happen.
Unfortunately, Marco and crew don’t appear to be on any of my
summer ventures. His summer tour is
shaping up for festivals and small houses all over the country. Sure, I’d suggest taking a listen to his
studio work, but I recommend making it a point to see him live. You can’t truly experience the magic of Marco
without experiencing the energy and excitement in person.
I also want to give props to both the venue Nietzsche's and promoter
Eclectic Collective Entertainment for continuing to bring amazing shows to
Buffalo. I don’t know that either are looking for my
humble opinion as solidification of success, I think the packed crowd and
jammed bar are proof enough. But sometimes,
the people behind the scenes don’t get enough credit for what they do. I sadly didn’t get there in time to see the
opener Lazlo Hollyfeld (who I heard crushed it) but I did want to give some
love to WeazilDust (AKA Jimkata Drummer Packy Lunn) who spun wicked tunes throughout
the evening. You can check out his mix from
that night for free.
So now, I’m off to Summer Camp. I will of course be taking plenty
of pictures and I’m sure will come back with plenty of tales of music, mayhem,
magic and mystery. Until then…
