Right around the time I scored my first few mix CDs in high school, some friends and I were having a discussion about various music genres.
“I hate country music,” I remember proclaiming. “It all sucks. I can’t think of a single artist that I like.”
These were friends that were heavily into British punk, new age, and folk-rock tracks. I truly believed that I was making a statement with my proclamation. Boy, was I wrong.
“Wait a second. You can’t possibly hate all country music,” one friend retorted. “I put a bunch of country albums on those mix CDs. You don’t like them? You were raving the other day about The Builders and the Butchers.”
I paused. “Really? Most of the stuff you put on there was folk-rock. I thought they fit into that category better.”
“Where do you think they got their sound from? Who do you think influenced them? Without country music, bands like them wouldn’t exist.”
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In retrospect, my statement was indeed tone-deaf. Let’s take a few steps back and break down the thought process here.
I was mostly exposed to mainstream pop-country hits until that point- which I thought were all right, but not my jam, if you will. The likes of Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton weren’t on rotation in our house. If there was music playing, it was either showtunes or something Ukrainian (shocker).
Add 9/11 into the mix, and you’re wondering where the hell I’m going with this. Study after study has shown that the events of 9/11 had a massive impact on the sound and influence of modern country music. Sure, you had your occasional patriotic-inspired anthem back in the 80’s. Once 2002 rolled around, it seemed like damn near every song on the radio was about “stars-n’-stripes” and “bringing home the troops.” Folks like Toby Keith and Alan Jackson became megastars. Meanwhile, anyone who criticized the state of our nation was blacklisted from the radio (see: The Chicks). Those themes have carried on into present day country radio, but the themes of uber-patriotism are finally starting to wane.
Enough inundation of patriotic themes got the better of young Dianna, and I formed a stance against the genre. I had 0 understanding of the history behind it or its influence across the board. All I knew was that throughout the mid-00’s, there seemed to be an uptick in red, white, and blue performances I was required to participate in/attend. I preferred other repertoire- and genres- more.
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“Alright, I guess I like country music a little bit,” I responded, swallowing what was left of my pride. It would take a few more years for me to learn about why modern country sounds the way it does, but in that moment I decided it would probably be wise to be a bit more open-minded about music in general.
Fast forward to Friday night. I scored a ticket to see The Builders and the Butchers in Ballard.
(As a quick aside, the title of this week’s blog comes from the first song of theirs I heard: “Barcelona.” Give it a listen if you have a moment.)
This show featured two opening acts- Autopilot is for Lovers and Kilcid Band– that I had never heard of before entering The Sunset Tavern. I probably mentioned this in a past post, but I try not to listen to opening bands before a show. I want their live sets to be my first impression.
So when Adrienne Hatkin took the stage with a guitar and a loop machine, I wasn’t sure what was about to happen.
Despite seeing the setlist at the front of the house, I wasn’t sure who I was listening to at first. Hatkin later explained that the rest of Autopilot is for Lovers wasn’t able to make the show- she had only given them a week’s notice! She even admitted that she had only began rehearsing for this gig “about 48 hours ago.”
She told the audience this midway through her set. I wouldn’t have known the difference if she hadn’t said anything. She was shredding the frets with a shot glass for one song, giving her guitar a psychedelic sound that no soundboard could imitate. Hearing her was like snacking on hors d’oeuvres at a cocktail hour- there was no pressure to stick around, but it was a delightful treat for those who did.
I expected another round of metaphorical spring rolls or cocktail weenies when Kilcid Band took the stage. Nope- it was suddenly time for a buffet of harmonies.
These folks absolutely commandeered the stage. They all looked like they showed up to be in five separate bands, but together- they were an unstoppable force. I found it amusing.
The gentleman in the foreground even walked around the crowd afterwards- right in front of me!- to chat with some audience members. The whole show had an intimate, welcoming vibe. Folks from all walks of life were at this gig- college kids in comfy pants and beanies, folk-punk giants with holes in their denim jackets, Patagonia hikers, goths in long skirts, and everyone in between. I don’t think there was a single person in this venue that wasn’t vibing along to the groove that Kilcid Band had going. I’ll definitely be adding some of their tracks to my Spotify playlists.
Before we dig into the main course, we need to head back to around 9pm. I had just gotten into the venue. Beer in hand, I made my way over to the merch table. Adrienne Hatkin had some handmade jewelry for sale. Kilcid’s handwritten setlists were strewn over some CDs. I was hoping to grab a Builders & Butchers shirt, but the man working the merch table claimed he was only selling Kilcid’s wares. No problem, I could wait.
A man in an Enya shirt showed up a few moments later. He noticed my Amanda Palmer tour shirt and said that he had just been talking about her in conversation earlier. I was stunned! Not too many people I meet are familiar with her work. I gushed about how magnificent she was on her last tour (and- side note- if you feel so inclined to see her live, she’s coming to Tacoma in April!), and we agreed that she’s a legendary performer. I walked away with a confidence boost and a new shirt.
Imagine my surprise when The Builders and the Butchers started their set hours later- with the man in the Enya shirt taking center stage.
Yes, folks, you read that correctly. Ryan Sollee- the lead singer and guitarist of The Builders and the Butchers since 2005- was the man at the merch table.
This guy, right here, in the middle, with the rainbow guitar strap. Merch man. Front man. My mind was blown to smithereens.
And what a show these folks put on! Many of the songs came off of their newest album, with some older hits mingled in between. Throughout the night, Ryan kept expressing how grateful he was to see “the most beautiful crowd I’ve ever seen. Seriously. Where have you all been when we put on our other Seattle shows?”
The camaraderie between the bandmates runs deep. You can tell not only through their musicality, but the way they interacted with each other as they furiously strummed out hit after hit. Not a single person in the venue was standing still. Toes were tapping, boots were stomping. People in the front and center were moving their bodies in every way they could imagine. I sang along to every song I could- old favorites and new jams alike. Their music is composed in a way where no matter if you know their material or not, you could still chime in.
Ryan sang until his lungs damn near gave out. He did warn us at the start of the set that he would likely sound like Tom Waits by the end- that wasn’t a problem for anyone in the room. We cheered him on as he powered through a solo number (his voice only cracked twice- he was very proud of that). It truly didn’t occur to me how powerful Ryan’s vocals really are. He sings in a clear, soulful tone and puts his heart into every lyric. It was a privilege to witness it live.
Even now, as I’m writing this, I can still feel the beat of that room coursing through my veins. It’s not often a concert sets the bar for what I want to see at future shows. I hope that every concert I see from here on out gives me that same adrenaline rush.
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