She is a part of a twenty-something, first job out of college contigent of female 6th Street fans who out number the guys here 2:1 and the only surprise is they’ve heard of the Los Angeles based duo at all because no doubt if they have heard 6th Street they’d love 6th Street.
Well, if the x chromos weren’t before they will have left the twenty minute plus set as true believers in 6th Street. A duo who mix harmonies on chart friendly pop songs that morph into harder hitting rock songs and power pop on stage.
It takes 6th Street a little while to set up because they kinda get that even in the small confines of a Arlene Groceries they have to sell the sizzle. They use back up tapes and a close circuit screen which projects shots of the city with close up sof the band.
No bass player, so there’s a clue as to where 6th Street are coming from, but one isn’t missed on this clutch of potential hits from their first EP, plusa song from an upcoming EP and an Imogen Heap cover. Six songs in all. Mike Miller, keytarist (a guitar structure with a piano keyboard instead of strings, you can stick on a guitar strap and move and play) anchors the duo and sing’s his heart out. Guitarist and co-singer Chris Cooper dances in place, moves about what part of the stage is available and at one point falls to his knees. They sell the songs hard and since the songs don’t really even need selling it is pretty dynamic stuff.
When they switch leads they are good, when they share leads they are great, “Angels Falling” which I dismissed as an overwrought pop ballad sounds better live and the rockier numbers, especially a definitive “Never Gone” and last song-personal best “Try And Stop Love”. And though lyrically they can be a touch prosaic who dare complain about “Fingerprints and memories are never gone”? The audience loved it and so did I.
I am not sure if any A&R guys were at the gig last night but this is for sure, 6th Street are built for major label backing. With their female pleasing handsomeness -a little threateningly virile but a good manger will tone em down so they don’t lose the tweens, a large back up band so they don’t have to use their PC and somebody to get the songs to the right radio stations (there isn’t a song here that wouldn’t fall into Z-100s format, they will be very, very big.
Till then there are always pretty girls in short dresses to singalong with 6th Street.