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Just who is Moxy Früvous? Most people actually recognize the name of the band but don't know anything more. That's the class I was in a few weeks ago. I'm happy to say I've since graduated.
Moxy's no household name- chances are you haven't heard them on the radio, and I know MTV doesn't do anything to help their cause... so for that reason I was only expecting a crowd of 50 or so to show up to their date at Valentine's in Albany last Friday in support of their new live album, Live Noise. But I also knew the Canadian band had a decent following, so I upped my estimate to 100. But by the time the quartet took the stage, there was about 350 fans packed into the tiny venue, not too far away from selling out the joint.
Then I realized there was something different about the people themselves. First, the "All Ages Show" was taken quite literally- from junior high kids to seniors who wouldn't need ID to get discounts at the movie theater. As I kept looking, I noticed something else- I knew several dozen of the audience members... and the fact that they like Früvous never came up. So be careful, your best friend may be a Frühead and you may not even know it.
I'll say something straight out- good singers don't impress me. I look for fun and improvisation at live shows- and most good singers seem to think if they can sing they don't need anything else if they've got a voice. Well, bless Canada for bringing us these boys- they've got a little bit of something for everyone. They sing well, every member is truly multi-instrumental, and my favorite part- they can make up really fun songs on the spot.
The running joke/improv of the night was "Murray's People," referring to the L-shape of the club around the stage where the bassist (Murray) had his own almost-separate crowd, who competed with "Not Murray's People," who took up almost all the rest of the crowd. Then there were the sad "Nobody's People," sung in a depressing "Eleanor Rigby" mood, who were sandwiched between the two. Moxy continued to impress with a cappella songs, electric banjos, and even invited a specific audience member up on stage who they remembered from last time they were in Albany to sing the closing "The Drinking Song." I listened to Live Noise maybe a half dozen times before the show and a few times since... I've come to the conclusion that you need to see the band live to fully appreciate the album.
Wanna check out Moxy Früvous? Their web site is one of the best on the internet for letting fans know where and when to find them.
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