Concert Review: The Wind + The Wave @ DC9 (5/16/17)

The Wind + The Wave2 — Patty and Dwight of The Wind + The Wave (Photo by Alexandra Valenti)

The Wind + The Wave, by way of Austin, Texas, gave the eager crowd at DC9 an evening of witty banter and a truckload of Americana indie-rock songs.

The Wind + The Wave is Dwight Baker and Patty Lynn (on lead vocals). Patty played to the crowd’s ego early, “We love us some DC!” and “I can’t believe there’s this many people out on a Tuesday. You’re crazy!” DC9 did have a respectable crowd enjoying the 15 songs they performed, which covered the spectrum of their first two albums (and one covers album!). Indeed, the encore was an entertaining cover of R. Kelly’s “Ignition”.

Dwight also enjoyed teasing their two supporting band members, referring to the bass player as Fat Scott (quite the opposite, of course) and the drummer as Baby Face with a man’s body (unconfirmed).

They are touring for their second album, Happiness Is Not a Place, and spent a good amount of time on their new songs early (and played 8 of the 13 songs from the album overall).

They started their set with “My Mind Is an Endless Sea” from the new album, a good way to let go of your problems and ease into an enjoyable show. ‘Breathe it in, let it out, settle down. Why you carrying all that mess around?’ The crowd did settle in and we were gifted with song after song, highlighted by Patty’s smoky voice.

Next came “Before the World Explodes” about hightailing it out of a relationship, with the catchy hook ‘Boy, I’m already gone.’

Midway through they played “When That Fever Takes Hold On You” that grooves and slinks, and makes me want to listen to their first album, From the Wreckage. Maybe my favorite song they played over the course of the evening. Same with “It’s a Longer Road to California Than I Thought”, an upbeat but intimate look at living with someone you love. They definitely like to keep pithy at a minimum with their song titles.

The cleverest moment came when someone yelled a compliment to Patty and she winked, “Start”. (All pithy and in that way you say “Stop” to someone who is singing your praises, but you don’t mean it.)

They ended the main set with the first single from Happiness Is Not a Place, “Grand Canyon”, a fierce send-off to someone who can’t stop drifting and making trouble. It wasn’t directed at the crowd though, we were good the whole show!

When they came back for the encore, Patty smiled to us troublemakers and said, “You guys are neat.” Aw, shucks, so are you.