Calla
By Peter A. Holden
Monday. Mar 06, 3:28 PM
live at Maxwell's (Hoboken, NJ) Feb. 5th, '06.

Anyone who has seen the band Doves knows full well what the term “power trio” means. Not often does a band like Doves come along that is perfectly in the pocket and tight with each other, craft amazing songs that feel like God made them, and pull it off live with a limited number of musicians. Well, I can honestly say that Calla are a band that achieves the same thing every single damn time I get a chance to see them. No matter where they are, their sound holds true. From the biggest spaces to the smallest holes in the wall, Calla majestically climb up and deliver exactly what we expect: power and emotion culminating in satisfaction.

This night I was at Maxwell’s in Hoboken, NJ. It’s one of the few remaining places in the greater New York area that can manage to pull off the live venue and dining bar combination. I say that because most places in the city now either go one way or the other, depending on which one is more profitable. Unless they can get plenty of great acts to come through while keeping a good solid flow of the local crowd that wants the food and drinks, they crash and burn. But Maxwell’s really has that perfect balance. And so the locale is a great place to spend an entire evening and expect great music. I showed up as Favorite Sons were playing, but I honestly didn’t catch much of their set. I can’t compliment, chide, or chastise because I heard all of 12 notes. The crowd seemed supportive and said they rocked. So, Favorite Sons, I bet you guys rock.

I stayed in the room as Lake Trout came on. Lake Trout are a band I have seen twice before in New York. They played Bowery Ballroom numerous times, although I believe on one rare evening they were opening for Cursive. I remember thinking they had promise, but the singer’s voice was so doused in reverb I couldn’t make any sense of it. My brain was fighting really hard to make out what he was saying. And so I left frustrated, thinking Lake Trout was “not without its charm.” They’ve come a long way musically, as far as I am concerned. I was actually really impressed with the arrangements (the keyboard player played flute too… and not Jethro Tull-type flute). They really know how to blend well. That’s what I can say most about them. Blended tones and a fullness like My Bloody Valentine, but with vastly different rhythms. Rhythmically, they charge and bounce a bit harder and with a sense of serious playfulness. There’s a maturity to them now that seems to have grown out of pure hard work. They won me over this time. Granted, the vocals were still incredibly doused in reverb, but now it fits and makes sense.

Calla, of course, were the stars of the show. The first time I saw them in NYC was at The Mercury Lounge about three years back. There has been some line-up change since then, but in the best way possible. The three founding members of Calla – Aurelio Valle, Peter Gannon, and Wayne B. Magruder – have now re-emerged as the perfect collective. Having spoken to Aurelio a long time back, he mentioned that bass player Sean Donovan had left the band, only to be replaced by Peter Gannon, originally on guitar (and even more originally bass and guitar back in their earliest days). The three reconnected in a serious way; what Aurelio said was “the way it was supposed to be.” And they have reconnected intensely, all too prevalent in their performance. You can tell when you see them now that he is absolutely right. That magical connection some bands have – the interplay between musicians who feel and know each other – they’ve harnessed it perfectly. The tell tale signs of which can be seen in the carefree swagger they possess onstage. It’s a flawless, comfortable grace so natural that it makes the audience sway and swagger uncontrollably along with them. I stayed mostly toward the front and looked back periodically to see the sway of heads and the bob of bodies. From beginning to end, Calla captivated with an enormous seething sound. For a seemingly “quiet” indie rock band, Calla are a monstrous firebrand of control and smokey passion. Layers of taut guitar tones and perfectly tight rhythms are what make Calla a machine. What gives Calla their flavor, however, is their delivery. So affectionate that you feel caressed by a somewhat brooding but constantly charismatic feminine force. It’s feminity mixed with a masculine bravado. Aurelio has a voice like no other, but a modest persona that denies any sense of arrogance. He is truly appreciative of the musical experience and the audience’s reception. The whole thing was a pretty picture that left the listener, audience, and fans satisfied. If I could see any band sporadically for the rest of my life, it would be Calla. They’ll always remind you of the potential of live music to entrance and impassion.

I always leave their shows feeling more impressed and even more gratified. I was exhausted yesterday when I headed to the show at 8:30pm, but was not sorry in the least at midnight when I headed home.
www.callamusic.com

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Peter A. Holden

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