MUSIC: The Devil Makes Three Hosts Benefit For Brown Bird’s Dave Lamb

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Rob Duguay, GoLocalProv Music Critic

One of the most beautiful things about the Rhode Island music scene is the familial vibe you get whenever you see local musicians perform together on stage for an awesome cause. As you most likely know by now Dave Lamb from Warren gypsy-blues duo Brown Bird is currently battling leukemia but he has shown tremendous progress due to a plethora of musicians from The Ocean State and beyond showing their undying support. As we all know, when it comes to cancer there's no such thing as enough love to go around. Friends of the duo and an amazing old-time folk band in their own right from Santa Cruz, CA in The Devil Makes Three joined up with local booking & promotions company General Assembly along with a couple of special guests in Jay Berndt & The Orphans and The What Cheer? Brigade to put on a rocking & dancing benefit in The Fete Ballroom and I'm sure made Lamb and his fiancé/bandmate MorganEve Swain incredibly happy. When it comes down to it a show is just what it is, a show that serves the purpose to provide a great time. When it's something bigger and helps an incredibly talented musician and a all-around wonderful soul get through hard times, it makes it a special experience.

Jay Berndt & The Orphans

Jay Berndt has a one of a kind voice that sounds like the most monstrous creature you ever seen turning it up to 11 and making you shake your hips. A local legend who is quite the storyteller, when Jay and The Orphans rock the joint it brings your heart back home to beer swillin' rock & roll. "California", "Gasoline", "Different Things" and "The Judgement" highlighted one hell of a set that made my eardrums rattle. People say Godzilla lives in Japan, I think he came over to Providence and renamed himself Jay Berndt.

The Devil Makes Three

Up next was the trio that helped put the whole thing together. The Devil Makes Three have the most catchy rhythms you'll ever hear and your feet are bound to get a strange sense of the boogie. Don't worry though, they wouldn't be one of the best folk bands on Earth if they didn't give you that fine feelin'. When I saw The Devil Makes Three play at The Newport Folk Festival a few years ago I've been a huge fan ever since. When you see them live your ears will love the sounds of "The Bullet", "Beneath The Piano", their rendition of Blind Willie McTell's "Statesboro Blues", "Graveyard", "Shades", "Gracefully Face Down", my personal fave in "Old Number Seven" and "Do Wrong Right". After their unreal set and a roaring applause, the crowd chanted "We Want More!!! We Want More!!!". The Devil Makes Three went back up with former Zox violinist and MorganEve's brother Spencer Swain on banjo joining in to play a folk traditional in "St. James Infirmary Blues" and "Bangor Mash" that had people going absolutely insane. After witnessing a set like this, you can't help but know that The Devil Makes Three are the real deal.

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The What Cheer? Brigade

To conclude a wonderful evening of infectious fun and exquisite tunes, The What Cheer? Brigade invaded the ballroom floor and proceeded to cause one of the biggest ruckuses I've ever had the pleasure of witnessing. There was a light show, horns blaring and a ridiculous amount of grooving that only What Cheer can bring. What a night! I can't figure out anything more splendid than putting on a benefit for a fantastic individual by starting off with rock & roll, jumpy folk and ending it with a crazy brass-filled dance party. Like many of my friends who are too preoccupied with their lives you're most likely thinking to yourself, "This already happened?!!! Damn, I missed another great show!". Well, the solution to your problem is very obvious. Log on to fetemusic.com, look up Fete's calendar to see what's happening next and live a little.

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