From the moment I walked through the heavy wooden doors of the Scottish Rite Theater, it was obvious that Marmalakes’ EP release party for In Arnica would not be a standard affair. I made my way through the lobby, laden with plush rugs, walking by oil paintings of distinguished old guys with white hair and wood panel walls. My wide-eyed journey ended in a mass of people standing around waiting to have t-shirts custom screen-printed right there while they waited. One of two teenagers greeted an elderly gentleman by name, using the prefix “Mister.” A band member’s dad? This was certainly well outside of the realm of most standoffish scene outings in Austin. But it wasn’t until we entered the actual theater room and saw the ornate, beautifully lit backdrop of handmade trees feathering out in arches above the stage that we knew just how unique the show would be. Beyond this setting, Marmalakes recruited the help of some incredibly talented artists to open the night in celebration of their EP release, which was sponsored by college radio station KVRX.
Grace Park and Austin favorite Dana Falconberry took the stage first for a song swap set, while the crowd sat on the large auditorium floor for what felt like a final night at summer camp. Both female artists share a penchant for delicate, haunting, and beautiful melodies and arrangements. After Park’s first song, Falconberry seemed genuinely moved, returning to her microphone, uttering, “Oohh, that was good,” with earnest directness. Park introduced her songs with dark comedy, one being about “a stalker,” while another was about “showing up at someone’s workplace…uninvited.” The lines drew laughter from the crowd, despite Park’s deadpan delivery.
To cut to the most obvious of Falconberry’s possible comparisons, she sounds quite a bit like early Joanna Newsom. Newsom’s albums after Milk Eyed Mender are musical achievements like no other—undoubtedly some of the finest records of their respective years. However, if you find yourself sometimes wishing that her back catalogue included more of her streamlined and accessible songs that still possess a naturalistic, acoustic quirkiness, look no further. Make no mistake, Falconberry too is an amazing songwriter with a haunting voice that recounts beautiful lyrics rooted in stark imagery. She has an incredible penchant for experimenting just enough with song formats to make them unusually fresh while retaining recognizable and catchy musical motifs. If you’re an Austinite and have somehow made it this long without seeing her—get on it.
Houston’s Ancient Cat Society filled the next slot before Marmalakes. Expanding incrementally in volume and band members from the solo female openers, the group began as a two-piece before adding a third member to provide back-up vocals and accordion. Ancient Cat Society is a spinoff of the Houston band Buxton, who create shimmering alt-country worthy of note. (They’re on tour through a large part of the country in the early part of the summer—check show listings in your area.) Rooted in country traditions, the trio has taken a page right out of Johnny and June Carter Cash’s playbook. Sergio Trevino and Haley Barnes both sing more or less full time on all songs, which move between upbeat strum-fests and slower, ambling country ballads. The trio definitely possesses a sound that isn’t being produced widely across indie domains, but their appeal is universal and timeless. With so much great music behind us, it was hard to believe that the best was still to come at this point.
From the first note, it is clear that Marmalakes is an enjoyable band; they’re fun—and catchy. However, this surface observation is a vast understatement of their greatness, which is due largely to some fundamental elements. For one, the three members of the band are outstanding musicians. Even more so than many national touring acts, the three core pieces that form a rock band (guitar, bass, and drums) are played respectively by Chase Weinacht, Max Colonna, and Josh Halpern with incredible crispness and agility. Secondly, the band works with unyielding resolve, evidencing their resourcefulness with the on-site art creation, elaborate setting, and assembling of talented bands—some from outside of Austin. All these important facets appeared to be under the direction of lead singer Chase Weinacht, who could be spotted frantically pacing the venue, ensuring the functionality of each activity.
A couple self-released records into their career, Marmalakes has developed a following, not only of fans, but also of other musicians. In conversations with no less than three other local musicians during the evening, I was told, with sincere awe, about the quality and energy that Marmalakes always brings to a bill. As the band launched into their first song, “Septimus Warren Smith,” this was plain to see. Marmalakes is relentlessly catchy and makes frequent use of alternating vocals and smooth harmonies.
Continuing the tradition of making the night special, Weinacht invited guests on stage for almost every song to provide new pieces to the arrangement, including extra guitars, pedal steel, trumpet, and exquisite background vocals by openers Park and Falconberry. Marmalakes navigated their wide-ranging songs, which feature upbeat indie-pop, crescendo builds, sparse guitar playing, ruckus outbursts, and full on rock. The last of which on that list was exhibited as the band closed the night with “Vittoria,” while the crowd totally lost it—dancing, cheering, and jumping.
The night, in every way, represented not only the best Austin has to offer, but also served as an outstanding example of independent community, one that can be seen as a lamppost on the path that leads back to what indie music was all about in the first place. Having spent some time in what I consider one of the most supportive and fostering music communities in the nation, the Pacific Northwest, this show made me ache for what Austin could be. The community theater setting; the quiet, respectful floor-seated fans; the unique, on-site artistic experiences that involved the attendees; the quality musicianship all recalled shows that I’ve been to, have seen first hand, but less frequently in Austin, the self-proclaimed live music capitol of the world. Don’t get me wrong—I love living in Austin. I even love the chaos of SXSW and the heat of ACL Fest, and I’ve had some once-in-a-lifetime musical experiences in this amazing city. However, Austin is a tough market, totally saturated with a million disparate bands, making it almost impossible for a cohesive scene to emerge. But a dialogue is beginning to happen specifically around this issue. Maybe with some awareness and with bands like Marmalakes to light the way, Austin can see the focused and burgeoning music scene of which it has always been capable.
