stellastar* @ 9:30 Club (March 29, 2006)

Setlist:

Lost In Time
No Weather
A Million Reasons
Sweet Troubled Soul
The Diver
In the Walls
Island Lost at Sea
Love & Longing
On My Own
Moongirl
Jenny
Born In A Fleamarket
My Coco/Pulp Song

I didn't know that much heading into this stellastar* show. I was familiar with a handful of songs, knew they were very good, but they had always been a band that was just outside of my "commitment" range. There is so much music out there and these guys were always passed over for someone else. Not anymore.

The best part of stellastar*'s sound is the vocal harmony between lead singer and rhythm guitarist, Shawn Christensen, and bassist, Amanda Tannen. While Christensen's voice is extremely versatile (ranging from a brooding peer of Robert Smith to a choppy, frantic sibling of David Byrne), Tannen's is the soft foundation to the songs, weaving in and out at opportune moments. Christensen's voice is captivating, as is stellastar*'s stage dynamic.

Lead guitarist Michael Yurin was quite active on stage quickly moving from a crowd-encouraging pose at the front of the stage to playing on his knees before his pedals. Christensen was also quite active, whether it was putting his guitar down to lean into his mic or play the final bars of a song on his side (see photos above). Drummer Arthur Kremer was dressed in tight jeans and electrical tape (forming an asterisk over his right nipple) and seemed to come alive consistently at just the right time in each song. Every element of this band is a vital companion to the others, they have a great sound, a great presence, and they put on a powerful performance.

It is easy to tell from their live performance that they know what they are doing. It should come as know surprise that they have opened up for a wide variety of bands (Placebo, Devo, The Killers, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Raveonettes, and Jane's Addiction). They are comfortable on stage, passionate about their art, and talented. I would highly recommend seeing these guys in a venue near you or get a sampling of their sound at their MySpace page. Did I mention their bass player is gorgeous? Anyway, here are their upcoming shows on the East Coast (they will be at Coachella on Day 2):

Apr 1 Trocadero Philadelphia, PA
Apr 2 Sonar Baltimore, MD
Apr 4 Norva Theatre Norfolk, VA
Apr 5 Cat's Cradle Carrboro, NC
Apr 6 40 Watt Club Athens, GA
Apr 7 The Social Orlando, FL
Apr 8 Studio A Miami, FL
Apr 9 State Theater St. Petersburg, FL

You can buy their latest album, HARMONIES FOR THE HAUNTED, at Insound.