Music Notes
The Rivoli, August 2

Dan Bryk is the type of guy who can find the dark cloud behind every silver lining. He even griped when he got signed to ex-Pumpkin James Iha's Scratchie Records back in 1997, but released his Lovers Leap disc on the label three years later to critical praise. True to form, it was a fairly bitter Bryk who took the stage Friday night at the Rivoli to play a solipsistic set of quirky Randy Newman/Ben Folds-inspired piano songs while sipping on a Starbucks beverage. He sprinkled snarky banter between tunes, dissing his adopted U.S. home base, including a self-deprecating riff about how American fast-food buffets have contributed to his girth. Finally, near the end of the set, he revealed the cause of his crankiness -- Scratchie had passed on his new record the previous Tuesday. The indie rock crowd, which included a quiet Sarah Slean, cooed their support and offered ecstatic cheers when Bryk invited mystery guest drummer "Worksley Hawkman" onstage to help out with his last song.