Iron Horse welcomes American Music Club

Northampton - Grab a beer and step into the world of American Music Club.  The Bay Area boys came to the Iron Horse this Wednesday to perform a live show with opening act The Figments.  AMC has been on its U.S. tour since the beginning of the month and won't stop until mid May.

The show started around seven 'o clock with The Figments.  This jam band quartet did a commendable job for opening.   The 90s grunge  dudes were a good compliment to the headliners of the evening.  The Figments didn't play the stereotypical role of stage-stealing, greedy openers.  The band knew who the crowd came to see.  The Figments politely strummed guitars and banged on drums until its time was up. 

What seemed to be a motionless crowd in the small setting, fans fixated all attention on AMC as it preceded on the humble stage.  With minimal equipment, the band was as casual as the Iron Horse. The venue is an older part of Northampton that has kept its dusty and antique appeal in tact with little lighting and worn down wooden furnish.

With the first few words of welcoming from the lead singer, there was something strangely familiar about him. Mark Eitzel is his name.  The band didn't spend too much time preparing before it went into it's setlist, which was mostly new material from the new album, "The Golden Age." 

Eitzel spoke for the band throughout the majority of the show, telling the open-eared crowd about the meanings of its songs.  One song in particular that was discussed was "Decibels and Little Pills" which is about a girl he saw in a club who was too wild for her own good.  She ended up getting thrown out because she was dancing topless. 

Throughout the show, the gang performed naturally, taking breaks in between songs to do some short storytelling.  The jam band enriched the insouciant setting with smiling faces and warm attitudes. 

Eitzel used his soulful baritone voice with great control.  AMC has had long-time experience with playing in venues similar to Iron Horse where it has learned to discern limitations and affordances .  Since the early 80s, AMC has had its time to perfect live shows.  With a crowd filled with 30 and 40 somethings, the audience members seemed to be more into the older material.  Cheers and rants were crisply heard from across the hall when older jams were played. 

Just because AMC is bar band doesn't mean that it has to succumb to belligerence.  AMC kept things low key at the Iron Horse.  Was it for the three kids sitting in the bar?  Nah.  It is just the AMC way.  AMC makes slowcore hip through thoughtful songwriting and expressive arrangements.  Even though the band's stop in Northampton was to promote the new album, AMC put on a show like it was a reunion.