It makes sense that New Orleans band the Deslondes would join St. Louis’ favorite son Pokey LaFarge on tour. Both acts wholeheartedly embrace the canon of American roots music and use an amalgamation of genres to craft something all their own. They also both released new albums somewhat recently that are among this year’s most impressive. On Thursday, the two acts hit the Parish in Austin, a first appearance of sorts considering each has only played in the Live Music Capital of the World during festivals like South By Southwest and Old Settler’s.
The release of their self-titled debut album for New West Records this year found the Deslondes tightening up their sound, moving from something more ragged and rambling to a refined honky tonk hybrid. The addition of the hugely talented pedal steel player Leo Grassl for this tour brought the songs from the album to life when performed live, and it was these songs that made up the core of the set. In guitarists and singers Riley Downing and Sam Doores the Deslondes have two songwriters capable of crafting folkloric tales of living, loving, dying and traveling. On stage they embraced a decidedly country sound that was clean and well oiled but far from being too polished. Performing in a line formation, the members of Deslondes brought to mind a street band of a bygone era, except these guys nailed a handful of damn good honky tonk tunes. Maybe it was drummer Cameron Snyder, who holds his instrument as if marching in a parade, but the appeal of seeing Deslondes play came not so much in their ability to play country music as it did from the way they can do so while keeping a loose, rawness in their sound that stays close to their home base of New Orleans.
Being a strong bandleader is one thing, but having a band with major talent is another. Pokey LaFarge has both. Following an introduction by his band of instrumental surf music that would have fit well on the soundtrack of a Quentin Tarantino film, Pokey took the stage. The singer immediately drew the audience in with the kind of wide, genteel smile possessed by entertainers in the Roaring Twenties. It was a smile to compliment music teeming with influences of Dixieland jazz, swing, and blues. Songs off latest release Something In The Water made up much of the set, with the occasional cover sprinkled in, like Pokey’s excellent rendition of country legend Lefty Frizzell’s “Always Late”.
Pokey kept the crowd enchanted with his charming croon, but the stars of the show may have been his band mates. Guitarist Adam Hoskins channeled the ghost of Wes Montgomery with precise solos that weaved around the vocals, while clarinetist and sax player Chloe Feoranzo danced along musically with trumpeter TJ Muller to transport the audience to a swanky speakeasy. Ryan Koenig also brought his magic to the set with jubilant harmonica playing and high, nasally yodels. Pokey may have been the star of the show, but it was his band that elevated his songs to the feel of a boisterous party. Together they conjured the history of American music in a way that felt palatable for this 21st century audience, all of whom ranted and raved along the whole time.
