The show kicked off with The Sound of Urchin opening Thursday night with their brand of high-energy rock (just add a pinch of schtick with a dash of bong water) and amazingly sparkly outfits. Very flash. Frankly the only thing stopping these guys from being big time Rock-stars is their ability to have way to much fun. Their sound was very good and I was very impressed.  I got to talk to them backstage after their set and they were nice guys with lots of beer.  When asked how they viewed Portland as a vegetable they simple replied, “Tomato”. Then I found out that lead singer/drummer was named Tomato!!! Weird!!! “Van Morrison” and “Roxie Ericson” were standout cover tunes... Check out their website at: www.soundofurchin.com I am sure we will be hearing more from these guys in the future!

The big ticket act was Cracker.  Like most of you I haven't heard a whole lot of Cracker since the early nineties; When hit like “Low” and “Teen angst” were all over the charts.  O.K., here is where I get painfully honest. I didn't expect much from the Cracker show, I knew that history was not in there favor, what with Camper Van Beethoven (moderately successful) and the commercial success (big time) that Cracker had, but, so many times do you find a bands in that same situation that are. Just out beating a dead horse because they are, “Getting the band back together.” This was not the case for Cracker. I was a hard sell the night I saw them. Believe me I am as Jaded as a music critic gets. Anyway after the fist track, “Brides of Neptune” (which by the way is a masterfully written song) I got this feeling like, “Oh crap, why have I forsaken Cracker for so long”. 

The best parts of Cracker are the little things. David Lowery has a voice that is rasped and soulful and it brought back the memories of Paul Westerberg and even Frank Black. Also there is this thing I have noticed about veteran performers like Mr. Lowery, and it's a kind of confidence that carries over from experience almost like, “I don't have to play to hard because my songs are so strong they carry the wait.” Their set defiantly carried the wait for lack of rock star possering. Although they might never be an arena type band, Cracker have mastered the art of the club. Johnny Hickman (Lead Guitar) is a seasoned guitar player who can put on a great show and on this occasion he got the crowd well worked up at the Aladdin. Which I should mention that night, was like shooting “fish in a barrel”. Where do these people come from?  There is a true fan base with this band and not just based on Crackers commercial success. The crowd sang just about every song right back to Lowery (the cowboy hat with a voice underneath it).  Songs like, “Euro-trash Girl” were sing-a-long favorites and “Teen Angst.”

The next stops for the Cracker and The Sound of Urchin tour were Vancouver and then Seattle. 

To be honest if you take the great song writing of Cracker and add in the, “Balls to the walls” performance of The Sound of Urchin you would have an amazing rock band. Everyone in the Aladdin had a great time Thursday, arms in the air, singing, drinking smiling like the old days. It was kind of creepy. As we left the Aladdin I knew Cracker had done the job right when my company for the night said he would have to get their c.d.
 

William Kendall
wkendall@youbored.com