Parachute Musical, the one-time D.C. band now transplanted to the musically optimistic city of Nashville, came back into town on Saturday night to play the Rock and Roll Hotel. The hometown heroes returned from Opryland toting their new album, “Everything Is Working Out Fine In Some Town.” Friends, family, and more friends came out to support them, clap out of time, and to carnivorously buy up their new CD- everything one would expect at a CD release party.
Hey Penny, touring with Parachute Musical and also from Nashville, opened the show to a small and disinterested crowd. At one point the band actually said, “Okay, we only have two left so we’ll get out of your way.” Ouch.
Despite having to play over people yelling or glancing at their watches, Hey Penny demonstrated that they were capable of a variety of different sounds. Their upbeat songs were synthesizer driven, punchy, and kinetic. Their slower songs had sweeping piano segments with crisp vocal harmonies accompanied by heartfelt glances sneaked between band-mates.
Solar Powered Sun Destroyer (SPSD) followed and sounded a whole lot like Engine Down. They only played a few songs, but the ones that I heard were melancholy and dark with some really technical guitar riffs. Around their fourth song someone in the crowd passed out. The house lights went up and the guy was carried out by R & R Hotel staff to an ambulance waiting outside. SPSD packed up their gear and ended their set. That part of the evening was bizarre.
Parachute Musical, a blend between Ben Folds, Something Corporate, and Jason Mraz, wooed the crowd with jazzy piano-driven melodies, boyish good looks, and shirt-tie apparel. The lead singer, Josh Foster, was a good piano player but a great singer. There were points when I thought I was listening to Justin Timberlake — his voice was that good. And while the band didn’t completely “bring sexy back,” they certainly sold a lot of their new CDs.
The next time Parachute Musical comes to town they should play with Jukebox the Ghost and Travis Morrison and the Hellfighters. My girlfriend would go see that show and I would more than likely get dragged along.
