While every other coffee shop in town was packed with studying students on Sunday evening, Decade, a quaint coffee shop in East Lawrence, was quietly hosting Wished Bone and The Wandering Lake’s first stop of their tour. Decade has recently become an intimate, living-room style musical hot spot. With no stage and tables pushed to the side, there’s no other venue in town as laid back as this one.
Local artist CS Luxem, typically seen with a full band and a stacked pedal board, opened the night with only his guitar and booming voice. The rawness of his voice bounced beautifully in the open space and captured the attention of everyone in the room. The crowd nodded along while they sipped their drinks with wide smiles. There’s just something about Chris Luxem’s voice that rings purity and honesty. To hear him belt and whistle in a room with acoustics like Decade’s is truly a unique experience.
When Chris finished, a quiet Ashley Rhodus of Wished Bone plugged her guitar in and began swooning the crowd. It’s impossible to think one could fall even more in love with Ohio musician, Wished Bone, but after seeing her play, one might fall a little harder. It was just her, a guitar and a tape deck to distort. Wished Bone is an artist that allows one to experience emotion with just one listen. She warmed the room with her charm and authenticity. Her sound could be compared to a less moody Connan Mockasin. Wished Bone’s debut EP, Pseudio Recordings, was released September of this year and is six tracks of feely goodness. It is so good, Fact named it the second best Bandcamp release of 2015.
http://www.factmag.com/2015/12/07/best-bandcamp-releases-of-2015/20/
Lawrence’s fleeting local music man Brian Kupillas, known as The Wandering Lake, closed his last set in town before packing up his gear and moving to the place where both rent and dreams are high. Unlike the first two acts, The Wandering Lake had pedals galore, two guitars, a saucepan, and a screwdriver. He sat down, the vibrations began, and the crowd was instantly paralyzed. No one moved, no one spoke, and no one interrupted the layered beauty that was being unfolded in front of everyone’s eyes. He picked up a piece of wood, scratched it with a screwdriver, looped it, and made it magical. No breaks between songs – the transitions were exquisite. The set was unified in a way as if he were telling a story and each song were a chapter. By the time the story ended it felt like waking up from a dream. The true talent that is The Wandering Lake visually moved the crowd. Lawrence is lucky to have had him as a local artist, even if it was only for a moment. California is the perfect home for this musician. He’ll have no problem fulfilling those dreams and paying that rent.
It’s winter break and everyone’s headed home. Catch them if you can!
Winter Tour: The Wandering Lake and Wished Bone
Dec. 13th – Lawrence, KS @ Decade Coffee
Dec. 15th – St. Louis, MO @ FOAM
Dec. 16th – Murray, KY @ Terrapin Station
Dec. 17th – Nashville, TN @ House Show
Dec. 18th – Athens, GA @ House Show
Dec. 19th – Savannah, GA @ Morningwood Los Angeles
Dec. 20th – Jacksonville, FL @ Burro Bar
Dec. 28th – Pensacola, FL @ Sluggo’s
TBA – Little Rock, AR @ TBA
Jan. 3rd – Fayetteville, AR @ Backspace
Jan. 5th – Carbondale, IL @ Skihaus
Jan. 6th – Chicago, IL @ House Show
Jan. 7th – Bloomington, IN @ House Show
Jan. 10th – Athens, OH @ the Pseudio
+More TBA