PICTURE THIS: Dark Dark Dark + Emily Wells @ The Arlene Francis Center, Santa Rosa, CA 11/1/12
Emily Wells opened for Dark Dark Dark at The Arlene Francis Center, an intimate venue in Santa Rosa on Thursday night. The evening was low key and wonderful. The crowd was small on this night, not more than 40 people, but the performers played beautifully to the delight of everyone in the room.
Emily Wells performed solo using looping machines and several instruments to build each song from a drum beat or a vocal pattern to a full blown composition. Wells has a beautiful voice that she masks with a singing affect that sounds a bit like a child’s speech impediment. But Wells’ effect does not impede on her songs — instead her songs draw the listener in, in an endearing way, to understand the lyrics. Her looping arrangement process is very interesting and Wells left her audience with an appetite for more of her music.
Dark Dark Dark is an orchestral folk quintet from Minneapolis, MN. Their lead singer, Nona Marie Invie, and accordionist, Walter McClements easily steal the show. The audience certainly appreciates the contributions of the entire band, but Invie’s smooth vocals and McClements’ ringing accordion parts engulf the songs making Dark Dark Dark’s music stand out from other indie folk bands on the touring circuit.
Following this show, we’ve had Emily Wells’ “Passenger” and Dark Dark Dark’s “Daydreaming” on repeat in our minds and on the stereo.
Check out all the photos HERE.