Nada Surf, Delta Spirit
Filter-Mag.com * December 8, 2008
by Christine Werthman

Way back in 1996, Nada Surf cropped up on the radio waves with the tongue-in-cheek guide to high school notoriety in the song "Popular." The song remains the group's best-known track, but it is a sorry representation of what this band can do. Not that hearing lead singer Matthew Caws speak-sing about "Johnny football hero" is not entertaining, but the song was more of an anomaly than a part of the band's norm. Had that snarky track been reflective of the band's entire catalogue, Nada Surf would not still be selling out venues twelve years after charting.

Delta Spirit gave Nada Surf its final crowd warm up at Bowery Ballroom following show-opener Gramercy Arms. Delta Spirit hails from San Diego, and the five-piece group plays hearty Americana songs that are coated in dive bar grit. The band can jump from a percussion romp like "Trashcan" to a softer ballad like "House Built for Two" without losing its punch. Lead singer Matthew Vasquez deserves much of the credit for that because every time he widely opened his mouth and let his sandpaper vocal jump out, it gave a jolt to the music. The band does not have a warm and fuzzy stage presence, made evident when Vasquez responded to an audience member yelling out "California!" in the midst of a story he was sharing with a flat "Yes, that was the whole point of that story...California," but the music is so thick and filling that not even a cool sass could hollow out the presentation.

Nada Surf's Caws got to break in his stage legs early when he joined Delta Spirit on backing vocals for "People, Turn Around." This song is a standout track on Delta Spirit's Ode to Sunshine (Rounder Records) debut LP, but like the other songs on the record, the raw live version surpasses the cleaner studio rendition.

Most of the crowd members who came out on the snowy night were there to see New York's own Nada Surf, and there was a mutual appreciation going on between audience and band when Nada Surf played. The band ran through songs from all five of its LPs, with tunes ranging from the twitchy and urgent "The Way You Wear Your Head" to the poppy and sincere "Always Love." Particular attention was paid to tracks from Let Go and Lucky (Barsuk), but the band also resurrected "Treehouse" and "Telescope" from its early days. The band's guitar, drum and bass work came off with a driving nervous energy, but Caws's boyish vocal sang through melodies that kept the songs light and focused. Caws had fun with the audience, leading a side-to-side two-step during "Inside of Love" and encouraging a singalong during "Weightless." Another bright spot was Calexico's Martin Wenk popping in on trumpet during "80 Windows," and the brass shook up the band's sound for the better.

Caws, fellow founder Daniel Lorca on bass and Ira Elliot on drums have been together since the release of High/Low (Elektra) in 1996. The years of playing together have made the live show feel broken-in and comfortable, but not wanting in energy. In fact, the band displayed more gusto than the Saturday-night crowd, which seemed a bit relieved when, after an 18-song set, followed by a 6-song encore, the band split from the stage for good. In all of those tracks, "Popular" never came up at Bowery, but the rest of Nada Surf's catalogue is strong enough that not hearing the big hit will never break a show - unlike shows featuring other late '90s bands still touring today. I'm talking to you, Harvey Danger. When I come see you play, I want my "Flagpole Sitta."

Set list:
1. Hi-Speed Soul
2. Happy Kid
3. Treehouse
4. Whose Authority
5. Weightless
6. I Like What You Say
7. Killian's Red
8. Fruit Fly
9. Inside of Love
10. Beautiful Beat
11. The Fox
12. 80 Windows
13. Ice on the Wing
14. Telescope
15. See These Bones
16. Treading Water
17. Your Legs Grow
18. The Way You Wear Your Head

Encore:
19. Blizzard of '77
20. Neither Heaven Nor Space
21. Do It Again
22. Blonde On Blonde
23. Always Love
24. Blankest Year