Upendra and Friends
Gypsy Avalon kind of feels like Field of Heaven's little brother. You know, the one who usually doesn't get the same kudos as the older one, but sometimes manages to upstage him nonetheless. Well, maybe Upendra and Friends didn't quite pull of the upstaging, but they gave it a damn good try!
This four piece played some terrific instrumentals through their set, perfect for relaxing to. If it hadn't been raining so recently, I reckon the whole crowd would have been laying down on the grass. As it was, only around 1/2 of them were. Their set built as it progressed, growing from a nice soft start into a much busier finale.
As I passed the time through their set, I ran into more friends than I usually do at a performance. Gypsy Avalon is a great meet up place, even if unintentional. Its position right on the corner means you'll see the crowd as you approach from either direction, and more than a few people end up there without planning it. Several times I found myself feeling that the music playing was a great backdrop for conversation, rather than intense listening. More than a few times I was aware of "special cigarettes" being passed around, so I guess laying back and letting the music wash over you works just as well!
Reported by Dominic Raos (2008.07.25 / 19:33)