The show celebrated the band's latest album, "All My Lovely Goners."
NORTHAMPTON - This review is probably redundant, as anyone who may possibly read it was at the Winterpills show Saturday night at the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton. It seemed everyone was there.
Sharing the kind of close quarters usually reserved for rush hour subways or factory farm poultry, the at-capacity crowd was treated to a magical evening of music from the Hadley/Northampton-based quintet, which was celebrating the release of its latest album, "All My Lovely Goners."
The show started with a comic note due to bass player Brian Akey's conspicuous absence after the band was introduced. After a few seconds (and pages from band leader Philip Price) Akey took the stage, joking that he was in the kitchen "making Hot Pockets."
The concert proper opened with "Are You Sleeping," a gem from the band's excellent 2010 EP, "Tuxedo of Ashes." This was followed by the grinding waltz insistence and staggered harmonies of "Lay Your Heartbreak." Having given the crowd a small security blanket of two older songs, the band then launched into a spate of new songs from "Goners." The first of these was "We Turned Away," which showcased airy, high harmonies spiraling over a guest ad hoc string section of cellist Melissa Nelson and violinist Carol Hutter.
"Amazing Sky" was next, highlighted by a cascading waterfall of a solo by lead guitarist Dennis Crommett. After a beautiful guest appearance flute solo by local multi-talent Dave Trenholm on "Small Bright Doses," the band cranked into an atypical rocker, "Rogue Highway," which showcased the percussive gymnastics of drummer Dave Hower.
After the mellow harmonies and syncopated rhythm of "Pretty Girls," the band again dipped into its back catalogue with the bouncy "Beesting."
One aspect that makes Winterpills such a powerful act is the fact that the two main singers, Price and vocalist/keyboardist Flora Reed both have amazing voices. Add in the sometimes third harmonies of Crommett, who is no slouch of a singer himself, and you have a harmonic package that is pretty much unrivaled in the local/regional scene.
02.25.2012 | NORTHAMPTON - Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion sing during their opening set at the Iron Horse Saturday night.So it almost seemed to be gilding the lilly when the opening act Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion joined the band for some shimmering four-part harmonies on "The Sun is Alone," which featured Reed on lead vocals.
Other highlights included the start-and-start stomp of of "Dying Star," which again brought Crommett's guitar skills to the fore with a fiery, echo-laced solo. And it must be said, that while he may have been initially absent when the band took the stage, bassist Akey made his presence felt the rest of the night, locking in with Hower to form a formidable rhythm section.
The guest festival continued as the string section returned along with Brian Marchese (who plays drums for just about every other band in the Northampton area) to augment another tune beautifully sung by Reed, "Fleur-de-Luce." The show ended with the country shuffle of "Feather Blue" and a one-song encore, "Tuxedo of Ashes."