Tom Odell and Urbane Cone at Rickshaw Stop - Concert Review

     This is The Golden Age of Music.  That was the conclusion last night.  We are in a consumption environment in which music lovers are in control.  It is no longer possible for a  small number of labels to determine what is likely to be in our libraries.  Nothing against the major record labels; it’s understandable that the motivation was to find artists who would have a wide fan base.  But today, if we have some time and the desire, we can find individual songs that fit our individual tastes.

     And preparing for a concert is expense-free.  With the different streaming offerings (Spotify, Soundcloud, Bandcamp…), it is no longer necessary to buy an album of an opening band in order to become familiar with what the band offers.  It’s always a benefit to know songs by each group.  And sometimes you find yourself being nearly as excited about the non-headliner.  

     So, in preparation for seeing Urban Cone last night at the Rickshaw Stop in San Francisco, we became familiar with Tom Odell and with In the Valley Below.  Our expectations continuously rose as the concert date neared.  Last night, there was no disappointment.  AND THE CHARGE WAS $5 to see performers from Sweden, the U.K. and L.A.

     In the Valley Below started the show.  They identify themselves as a musical pairing, but they were joined by talented musicians.  They have a name-your-own-price EP at Bandcamp (http://inthevalleybelow.bandcamp.com/), but it doesn’t reflect the Rock that they exhibit in a live performance.  Angela Gail is sensual in voice and in the treatment of Jeffrey Jacob (this band must prefer first names).  Jacob sings and plays guitar.  Coincidentally, on the drive home, one of their songs (“Peaches”) was played on Satellite Channel 35 (XM U).

     Then came Tom Odell.  The guy is barely old enough to get into Rickshaw’s.  He is 22 and hales from Chichester, England.  He is exploding in Europe, because of the success of "Another Love," a song in which the final third of the song is best section.  Too many songwriters find a “hook,” exploit it, and  then the final third of their songs is the singer repeating the same six to eight words.  Not “Another Love.” 
Last night, Odell played the piano with emotion and force.  By the end of his set, two keys had surrender, resting at half mast relative to the still functioning keys. At one point, Odell explained that he had lost his D note, and apologized to Yamaha.  He was accompanied by three other musicians.  How does a touring band survive? 

     The headliner was Urban Cone, a 5-member band from Stockholm.  The innocent young women who had pushed to the front to be near Tom Odell were gently (mostly) replaced by guys wanting to jump to the beat of Urban Cone.  The tracks were primarily sung by two members with a similar style, but with enough variation to keep it fresh.  Another member played keyboards, and was so lost in his music that we cannot say with certainly that he has a face.  Yet another member was an entertaining guitarist, who went through different phases during the set.  He started without much fanfare, then became increasingly more shoegaze, reaching the condition in which he put down the guitar and became 100% shoegaze (although there wasn’t any real shoegazing, since he got on his knees and worked his electronics). Often, when we drive to a concert, the thinking is “If they nail [name of a particular song], everything else is bonus."  With Urbane Cone, that song was “Freak.”  They nailed it.