Brett Dennen/The Little Ones

Concert Reviews • Monday March 16th, 2009 • 11:36 pm

I have to be honest… I almost ditched this show. In fact, my calendar showed an eight-o’clock start and I was fully prepared to catch the end of the opener’s set. I begrudgingly showed up at nine, only to be surprised by the other “late” people rushing for the door and the subsequent line that started forming in the freezing cold.

Maybe it was the collective “slacker” in all of us – considering we were all racing against the clock at that point – but in that line, I heard more than a few comments about “the opener” – as in, “Is there an opener? Do you know who it is? I’ve never heard of ‘em…” By the end of The Little Ones’s set, everyone knew who they were, and everyone wanted more.

The Little Ones were energetic, and just… happy. Genuinely happy about everything they were doing. Brothers Ed and Brian Reyes shared toothy smiles at each rocking interval. Until this point, I hadn’t seen such energy and passion in a live show since seeing a really great worship band – one difference being that this felt absolutely pure and genuine, as if they really loved not only playing their music, but loved knowing that the crowd was into it too.

My immediate categorization of their great sound was that of the Decemberists if they happened to shipwreck on a tropical island, and start over with a fresh sound, a not-so-annoying lead singer’s voice, and fewer sea-faring themed tunes (less sea, more beach). Another appropriate parallel in theme and in sound is that of The Beach Boys. All in all, the music was plain good, and good fun from the appropriately-timed, multi-person harmonies, to the clapping and tambourine. “Oh, MJ!” and “Morning Tide” were very well received, while “Unlock the Door” got the hips swinging, followed by “Lovers who Uncover” which brought bobbing heads. Not a disappointed soul in the crowd, I would imagine, which set the bar pretty high for headliner Brett Dennen.

I first heard Dennen either on NPR or KEXP in an interview setting where he also played a couple of tunes solo. It was very honest, his voice pure, and it was excellent. When I picked up So Much More, I was disappointed. It felt overproduced, and not of the same guy I heard play on the radio. To be honest, I haven’t even given Hope for the Hopeless a chance, though I really need to. After they began lighting incense and prayer candles on the stage between acts, I was afraid that we had just had the best of the show. I was prepared for quite the letdown, or at least a system-shock coming down off the high, about to go from an “11” on the fun-meter, to a low “3”.

Thankfully, I was absolutely wrong, and Brett Dennen proved to me once again that he could bring it, live. He continued the fun, danceable mood – even leading the crowd with some hip-swinging smooth moves himself – and on the more serious notes, was embedded in the emotion of the song. I loved his expressions, his laid-back strumming, and dancing like he didn’t care. “Follow Your Heart” was a crowd favorite as was, “Make You Crazy” and “She’s Mine” – two of my favorites, for sure.

Dennen’s mix of caribbean/folk/jazz not only makes the head bob, but it inspires higher thinking as well; from issues like poverty and consumerism, to love and war, Dennen puts it out there straight with lyrics such as, “They will lock you up in prison but they won’t call it slavery/ There are stolen children raised and trained in armies/
It’s enough to make you go crazy”

“Make You Crazy” indeed – the song is catchy as hell, while also making you think, “Shit, yeah it is enough to make me go crazy…” Leading by example, Brett has been involved with, has started, or has contributed for the benefit of multiple organizations out to help make the world a better place.

In the end, it was a bittersweet night. The venue, The Music Mill, has closed its doors. Here’s to hoping another will pick up the talent and we will see Dennen and TLO in Indianapolis again.