February 20, 2009

You may know Geisha as the band who had such 80s hits as ‘Kabuki,’ ‘Part Time Love Affair’ and ‘Fool’s Way.’ You might know them as the modern-day entity who birthed ‘Birthday’ and wrote ‘Mystery Writer.’ You may also know them as the band whose sound has been toughened up in recent years by the addition of Joe Matera. But despite carrying both of these impressions with me when I walked through the door, I now know them as the band who kicked my ass with solid performances and strong melodies a week ago at SpensersLive.

Geisha live is an altogether different entity from what you might expect if you only listened to the band’s 80s studio output. Raw but not rough, powerful but not overbearing. Opening strong with ‘Birthday,’ from the new CD ‘Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow,’ Chris Doheny, Joe Matera and co benefited from a clear mix (despite a few technical probles that robbed us of Joe’s backing vocals) and an enthusiastic crowd singing every word. Matera’s playing is obviously informed by the great 70s guitar gods – you know the deal: melody and feel balanced against tone and taste. Slinging a pair of Seymour Duncan humbucker-equipped Fender Strats through a Laney combo, his sound was bright and present in that cool Mick Ronson kinda way.

Doheny spent much of the night playing a Maton 12-string Mastersound, and his tone delved a little further back in music history, to London in the 60s, if my ears don’t deceive me. For some songs he switched to bass, holding down the low end with a slick black Fernandes four-string. I was particularly impressed by Doheny’s vocal power. I couldn’t help thinking that I’d love to her his voice in more of a bluesy setting some day.

Capping off the gig with a new track and a Beatles cover (‘Mystery Writer’ and ‘Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ respectively) was an ideal way to cap off the gig: with one foot in the past and the other in the present.

Click here for my interview with Chris Doheny and Joe Matera.