IF YOU MISSED THIS SHOW, I AM SO SORRY

Leigh Anne Jenkinson, Imprint staff

What a fantastic party, hosted by Ramona Records in honor of Wilt's new 7" EP. You can always expect a good show from the bands signed by Ramona Records, but the special guests Space Kid and Dan Bryk brought new and interesting talent to Mrs. Robinsons' stage.

So, the lights dim and four unassuming young men clamber on stage, look around nervously, smile sheepishly and embark on a rough musical journey that leaves you somewhere between Sonic Youth and the Charlatans. I have to admit, Space Kid could impress the harshest critic with their mixture of mumbled lyrics, strong melodies and thundering guitars.

Then, a round faced guy and his keyboard get on stage. Dan Bryk is playing almost a soft classical keyboard, swaying his body back and forth gently, with eyes closed. It takes you a while to catch onto the dark sense of humour portrayed through stories of lost love, computer geeks and religious irony. Dan manipulates his voice to contrast the gentle keyboard by intentionally faltering high notes and adding pauses when least expected. What can be learned from this experience? Missing the opening act is not cool - always, always go early.

Next, Craig Cardiff steps on stage. He plays some pretty songs with pretty melodies, but throughout the performance I can't stop thinking that he sounds typical, especially after watching Space Kid and Dan Bryk. But to his credit, I hear Craig is a Cindi Lauper fan and he does a beautiful rendition of "Time after Time."

Then, Henry and the Folk step up. You can't help but get caught up in the enthusiasm with Henry. He jumps around the stage flailing his feet in the air, which just happened to be covered with green and brown knit slippers (pom-pom and all). "Dancin' at the Laudrymat" and "Movie Star" are becoming favorites among Henry's fans, but it's songs like "Purple People" and "Spaceship Song" that make the crowd smile involuntarily.

Finally, Wilt, what this is all about, gets up on stage. He has tons of stuff, so it takes a few minutes to set up, but this adds to the suspense. As soon as he strikes his guitar you know this kid can play. He is completely comfortable with his guitar, if not so comfortable with the audience. His lyrics are sometimes cute, sometimes shocking and sometimes both. People tell me that Sonic Youth is a big influence, but I was reminded of Frank Black and Talking Heads. Wilt stole the show, with a distinct sound that takes Indie music out of what seemed to be a rut. In fact, most of these musicians are each creating their own Indie sound. Hopefully, we will soon be able to lose the phrase, "support local talent," as it is obviously capable of supporting itself.