Yesterday at NX35: Sabra Laval at J&J's Pizza (Another Perspective)

BAND: Sabra Laval VENUE: J&J's Pizza TIME: 8 p.m.As previously discussed, the dark, smoke-filled "Old Dirty Basement" of J&J's is the perfect place to hear the jazzy, ghostly-folk sounds of Sabra Laval. Her warm, smoky vocals harmonized perfectly with pedal steel, guitar, upright bass and even the sound of creaking...

By Daniel Rodrigue

March 13, 2009

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BAND: Sabra Laval
VENUE: J&J's Pizza
TIME: 8 p.m.

As previously discussed, the dark, smoke-filled "Old Dirty Basement" of J&J's is the perfect place to hear the jazzy, ghostly-folk sounds of Sabra Laval. Her warm, smoky vocals harmonized perfectly with pedal steel, guitar, upright bass and even the sound of creaking wood as people clomped around upstairs.

Laval's emotionally-charged lyrics about black birds, blue moons and bad love came across like haunting lullabies conjuring images of deserted moonlit backroads and cobweb-filled abandoned houses. By the end of Laval's set, over 40 people had packed into the basement, leaving it standing room only, which, honestly, at J&J's isn't hard to achieve.

The show also marked the first performance of the night by bassist Ryan Williams, probably the busiest musician at the Conferette other than organizer Chris Flemmons. But more on that later...

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