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As their show began, THMPR drummer Jason Carter started the evening with a reading about the group’s namesake bunny narrowly escaping getting ravaged by a fox. Proof, he said, of one’s ability to overcome any obstacle. Cool story, bro.
I still can’t suss out whether that was meant to be inspirational or a mere parable for the supposed risk these seasoned players, including Los Lobos member Steve Berlin, keyboardist Ralph Huntley, and accordion master Courtney Von Drehle, are undertaking by jamming without a net for two hours. Neither explanation really sits well with me. The only thing these seven musicians gambled with are the time and attention of the 30 or so people who slipped into Show Bar last Wednesday.
Since everyone there knew what they had signed up for, THMPR vamped at will. But to the group’s credit, they did so with a remarkable amount of restraint. Rather than fly off into solos or barnstorm through the set, the players opted to keep their ears open and use the instruments for texture rather than splash.
A longer piece, apparently inspired by the suggestion of “leopard” from someone in the audience, began with an ‘80s-era King Crimson groove filtered through a dub soundsystem before devolving into a kind of twisted circus music anchored, surprisingly, by Von Drehle’s tiny synths and laptop rather than his squeezebox. As the dubby elements came back into play, Carter opted to push the sound in a post-punk and disco direction, but found his course being corrected by the rest of the ensemble.
It all flew by agreeably, but unmemorably. Without my notes, I’m not sure I would have any memory of what went down. I doubt the members of THMPR could tell you what happened other than they had fun goofing off with their friends. Could that be enough?