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| photo by Jeff Lipsky |
A version of my review originally appeared at soundcheck.ocregister.com
The Coach House spent some rare time in the spotlight on
Friday night.
While hosting two acts that are currently making waves at
Adult rock radio (Eric Hutchinson, Graffiti6), the packed San Juan Capistrano venue also became the
subject of an impromptu song.
A quarter ways into the thoroughly entertaining 80-minute,
19-song set, Hutchinson (pictured above) used acoustic guitar to ad-lib hilarious lyrics about the
food, seating angles, signed wall photos and cracked himself up in the process.
The Washington D.C. native definitely has sharp improv skills.
Nearly five years have past since his solid debut CD Sounds
Like This came out, moved 250,000 copies and spawned three hit Triple AAA
format singles (including the gold-certified “Rock & Roll”) whose
cumulative sales total are over a million.
Excellent new album Moving Up, Living Down finds the
singer/songwriter continuing to mine classic 1970s pop/rock sensibilities with intriguing
rhythm dynamics (Latin instruments, loops) and R&B touches thrown in for
good measure.
Backed by a tight, happy three-man band (plus two horn
players on various tunes), Hutchinson
opened the show on keyboards with the jaunty, optimistic “Best Days.” He
switched to electric guitar for the funky “You Don’t Have to Believe Me,” where
the energetic vintage Prince vibe was bolstered by a snatch of Naughty by
Nature’s “O.P.P.”
Barely pausing for a break, the reggae-tinged “Outside
Villanova” saw a second keyboardist/guitarist follow Hutchinson’s scatting note for note. The
vocalist said that good time shuffle “Not There Yet” was about “blowing off
work” and followed it with an equally fun audience sing along cover of The
Beatles’ “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da.”
Moving ballad “Break Down More” dates back to Hutchinson’s early career
and was revamped for the new album. Here, it took on a haunting quality with
lap steel guitar work that almost silenced fans. Several of them danced amid
the tables and aisles when upbeat piano pop hit “Oh!” arrived next and
continued through a strong take on Sublime’s “Santeria” (not surprisingly, it
went down a storm).
Elsewhere, the drummer displayed some fine percussive
changeups on “Watching You Watch Him” and Hutchinson
turned in vulnerable vocal. “OK, It’s Alright with Me” prompted boisterous
audience participation.
By the encores, the whole place was standing for “Rock &
Roll” and a frenetic “The Basement,” where Hutchinson and company were in old
school rock ‘n’ soul revue mode. His rapid-fire vocal delivery, name checking
(Little Stevie Wonder, Ike & Tina Turner) and “Land of 1000 Dances” snippet
made for an exhilarating finish.
Back in January, England’s Graffiti6 put out its first
Stateside album, Colours. The mix of 1960s psychedelia, pop and U.K. Northern
Soul elements and Jamie Scott’s truly soulful falsetto vocals equals one of the
year’s more absorbing debuts so far. Standout track “Stop Mary” would totally appeal
to Bruno Mars enthusiasts.
The duo comes with quite a resume: Scott previously toured
with Alicia Keys and Kelly Clarkson, collaborated with members of Travis,
penned songs for Enrique Iglesias and One Direction and had a small acting role
in the Channing Tatum flick “Step Up.” His musical partner Tommy D. Danvers is a
respected producer/arranger/writer, whose credits include Right Said Fred’s
“I’m Too Sexy,” Janet Jackson, Bjork, Beyonce, Kylie Minogue, Kanye West and
Jay-Z.
Out in Capistrano, Graffiti6 managed to rise above an
inattentive, too-chatty crowd filled with many young ladies obviously there solely
for Hutchinson.
Scott (pictured left) performed on acoustic guitar, accompanied by a bassist
and organist. The hunky singer was dressed casually in a t-shirt and jeans (a
far cry from his stylish look in the music video to hit “Free”).
Stripped-down arrangements during the half hour set gave
Scott’s amazing pipes ample opportunity to shine (“Lay Me Down”; the moody boyfriend-kills-girlfriend
tale “Goodbye Geoffrey Drake”). Others packed an emotional punch (the
plaintive, Fender Rhoads-driven “Over You”; a cover of the Bee Gees’ “To Love
Somebody”).
Although sweeping orchestration from the Motown-ish “Free”
was missing, Scott still provided plenty of drama. I look forward to seeing
what he’s like in front of a full-fledged electric band.
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