Live: Phosphorescent at Local 506, 11/6/08

Phosphorescent (aka Matthew Houck) kicked off his November tour last night at Chapel Hill's Local 506. The show marks Phosphorescent's first true Chapel Hill show, though he did play a show at Durham's Bull City Headquarters as part of last year's Troika festival. Additionally, the show featured Houck with a full backing band.

The band's 15-city tour of the east coast is in support two forthcoming album, one of which, following the trend of ScarJo and Cat Power, is an album of Willie Nelson covers.

Brooklyn-based Virgin Forest kicked off the set, playing their own alt. country style ballad. However, this was not a typical opener in that the majority of Virgin Forest comprise Matthew Houck's backing band in Phosphorescent. Nonetheless, the band-drums, keyboard, bass and two guitars-only had one member who was not seated. Though the set was solid, the vocalist showed a hilarious dismissive attitude that culminated in him standing up and setting his guitar down before the last song ended.

But after the set break, most of Virgin Forest along with members of Chapel Hill-based Barghest took to the stage with Houck (wearing the same shirt he is in this video, only inside out) as the two bands-whose own members overlap-comprise the current instrumental power of Phosphorescent. The band began the set with "Picture of Our Torn Up Praise" from 2007's Pride. With a full backing band composed of a drummer, keyboardist, bassist and two guitarists (Houck, who used his cocaine-addict-like fingernails as a pick, was one of them), the song had an entirely different sound and message than the harrowing album version. But this sound was differently good and made for a wonderful live show.

Three songs in, after "Wolves," Houck announced that that was as far as the band had gotten in assembling their set list. He then began taking requests from the audience, playing "Cocaine Lights," "When We Fall" and more. All the following songs began first with Houck announcing the key or whispering into his bandmate's ears, himself playing softly and delivering the most sound. It was clear that Phosphorescent in this incarnation was not well-rehearsed, but it didn't matter. Slowly, the rest of the band fleshed out the sound, constituting a fuller musical presence, still different from the album but fully wonderful.

After a short set, Houck and co. walked just off stage and then promptly returned for the encore. No excessive clapping necessary. The frontman played a solo song followed by a full-band Willie Nelson cover. Phosphorescent in-concert proved a defining live experience - decidedly different from the album, unexpected and an interestingly beautiful exploration of Houck's work.