Po’ Girl’s lineup may have evolved over the years, but the band still knows how to connect with a crowd on a gut level. Photos by Quetzo Herejk.
Tuft Theater, a narrow, dimly-lit hall, hosted a fervent crowd of about 60 dedicated fans for the Canadian group’s appearance there on April 10. Lined up in seated rows, this venue was unlike any I’d seen Po’ Girl play at in my years of following them. Usually there’s enough room for dancing and foot stomping, or at least standing room with bar tables and sitters in the back.
That said, I lived in East Vancouver, British Columbia, and grew up alongside the beginnings of Po’ Girl (their self-titled debut came out in 2003) when they played tiny venues for tiny crowds. April 10 was a sit-down show, but the roar of both the crowd and the musicians made the scene anything but dull.
The only member of the original line up was Allison Russell (the backbone of the band’s vocals and writing) who joined forces several years ago with the talented Awna Teixeira. Together, the powerful duo writes, sings and carry the stage with their sassy, sultry soul. Musically, they explore roots, folk and soul, connecting with the crowd through themes of shared human experience. They have recently united with Benny Sidelinger (all things stringed, plus piano) and JJ Jones (drums).
One bonus of playing an intimate venue like Swallow Hill is that you get about two and a half hours of music split into two sets. Po’ Girl played older songs such as “Home to You” and “Malaise Days,” but songs off their recently released album, “Deer in the Night,” predominated. I was as happy hearing and humming along to their new works as I was their old. New sounds, including bicycle bells, glockenspiel, accordion, harmonica and gutbucket bass, stood alongside their standard clarinet, guitar, banjo and drum kit. — Quetzo Herejk
Check out more of Quetzo’s photos of the evening:
Quetzo Herejk is a Denver freelance photographer and new contributor to Reverb.
