David Bazan & Shay Roselip at Sam Bond's Garage

David Bazan & Shay Roselip at Sam Bond’s Garage

Tonight at Sam Bond’s Garage I got to catch one of my personal heroes and biggest musical influences for the third time live. I’ve been listening to David Bazan (Pedro the Lion, Headphones) since I was like 16 years old, needless to say this isn’t going to read like a review so much as the ramblings of a fanboy, so I’ll try and keep it in check.

I shuffled into Bond’s a little early to snag some tasty vegan pizza with chantrelles carrots and mushroom gravy (delicious) and to try to secure a reasonably good place to sit, only to find friends already sitting immediately in front of the stage, with an extra seat just for me*.

Opening the evening was Shay Roselip with a brief set of fragile, gentle, dream pop that washed over the crowd like smooth delicious blackberry meade. Light, drifty jangle pop that goes does easy. The kinda stuff you wanna headphone and hide from the world with…

Then Bazan took the stage for the last of a, if my memory serves me correct, 47 date stretch. If the guys were road weary or spread thin, it didn’t show. From rockin old school opener, Second Best, to still shiny new closer, Strange Negotiations, all of the intensity, and repressed energy just waiting to boil over was ever present. Playing a smattering of songs, new and old, as well as doing a few short Q&A’s, Dave manages to tow the line of being very much an all-for-the-fans musician, while still leaving some parts of himself a mystery. Though Bazan, the band, as it were, is not Pedro The Lion, the man that made it what it was, is still every bit as engaging and unique a voice as he always was. This is just a different chapter of his life and career, and we’re lucky we get to share it.