The plaza on Main Street is typically a tranquil spot in downtown Andover. But last Friday evening, September 19, an unusual crowd gathered outside the old Town Hall, composed of Phillips Academy and Andover High kids alike. There was no “catbonering,” nor any harsh words, details that created a particularly nostalgic scene for myself, a day student and Andover native. We were all planning to pack into that old brick building for the same reason: a ten-dollar show put on by nationally recognized acts Drug Rug and Apollo Sunshine. Old Town Hall is not particularly impressive, but the building has a waist – height stage, high ceilings and wooden floors that provide the venue with unique acoustics. Young people, excited for this kind of entertainment, which is seldom seen coming through our town, filled the room, which was lit by the yellow glow of antique light fixtures along the side walls. DJ John Joe Fiorentino, class of 2010 at Andover High, kicked off the evening with a thirty-minute set of hip hop mash-ups created with his dual turntable, MacBook setup. He said that his goal was to “set a nice dancing tone to the night.” Though he certainly did exhibit some ingenuity in his approach to the songs he spun, meticulously adjusting levels and aligning beats to sampled vocal and instrumental melodies, most of the audience remained standing still during his set, talking in groups. Just before 9:00 p.m., the bluesy Boston indie-folk band Drug Rug took the stage, dressed in what looked like yesterday’s flannel and denim. With an air of false modesty, they made a final check of their equipment, as if to hide behind their guitars while remaining silently confident in the songs that they were about to play. The band started their set with the driving guitar of “Day I Die,” the second track from their debut self-titled album. Frontman and woman who go by Sarah and Tommy, tore away at their guitar strings, howling the lyrics like two wounded, yet optimistic, animals. With the pounding drums behind them, the guitars and bass created a dirty, heavy-handed groove, making each song a pleasure to thrash about and dance to. Drug Rug closed their set with a high-energy rendition of their song “Walden.” Sarah’s proficiency on guitar and Tommy’s powerfully meek stage presence as he belted out the song’s lyrics wowed old fans and converted new ones. Following was another, considerably better-received performance by Fiorentino, this time a set of “retro, 80s-flavored dance music,” and then main act Apollo Sunshine sauntered on stage. Bassist and lead singer Jesse Gallagher’s gaunt frame seemed to crane over the audience as the crowd surged closer to the band. As is always the case with Apollo Sunshine, the group came out strong, playing their alternative rock songs with distinct southern and psychedelic influences. The sweaty crowd danced enthusiastically from the first downbeat, occasionally engaging in the friendly pushing and shoving that go along with hard-rocking live shows. As the set went on, Gallagher and company showed the crowd the kind of out-of-the-ordinary musicianship that one comes to expect at Apollo Sunshine concerts. During one song, guitarist Sam Cohen played a brightly painted, undersized, acoustic guitar, and for another Jesse Gallagher played his well-loved, double-necked electric. The fact that the bass neck was missing a string did not seem to phase the frontman. The show ended with a series of long instrumental jams, as well as both old and new songs. Gallagher even donned his signature, purple wizard cloak for a couple of them as he played a solo by bending the frequencies of his guitar with an old, analog synthesizer dial. Apollo Sunshine finished their set as they often do, with a drum solo in which all band members take part. They each added different rhythms to the layering, playing faster and faster, drumsticks flying in all directions. To me, this showing of brotherhood seemed an apt conclusion to the evening. Alex Kalil ’09 later called it “an awesome concert.” You would be hard-pressed to find a student who would disagree, no matter where he goes to school.
