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Keeps @ Black Cat

Ben Begas
February 27, 2016

The backstage of Black Cat is one of my favorite spots to see new music. Though I have seen some really great shows at the mainstage (Protomartyr & DIIV), it sometimes can get a bit too crowded for me. I enjoy venues that can hold a few hundred people, but then in reality only get about 50 people to show up. In my opinion, the one thing that separates Black Cat from other venues in DC is their credibility. Every artist that they have gotten to perform on both the back and main stages offers something totally different and is worth listening to. I love attending these “low-key” shows that no one knows about, especially since I get to talk with the bands afterward.

As soon as I was greeted by Gusti, of Keeps, as soon as I entered the backstage area, I could tell the show was gonna be great. The night was opened up by Church Girls, a post-punk/folk rock band from Philadelphia. They had a good amount of supporters, one of which was the lead singer’s brother. I only feel the need to point that out since he felt the need to point that out in between every other song. My favorite song by them was actually their final song. It’s pretty different from their other songs, mostly dealing with the idea of getting old. I couldn’t help myself but sing along toward the end of the song. Everything slows down and then she begins singing, “I’m a long way from young.Û

Keeps consisted of just Gusti Escalante (Vocals, Rhythm Guitar) and Robbie Jackson (Lead Guitarist), although they did have a drummer and bassist for their tour. Based in Nashville, Tennessee and having toured with bands like Alex Bleeker and the Freaks, the duo wanted to be a bit different from most Nashville acts but adapted good psychedelic/roots rock values. Their new LP “Brief Spirit” (Due out March 4) is full of a reverb-y haze of guitars. The band has been categorized as a dream pop band, but they’re so much more than that. The band’s songs have elements of dream pop and even at times shoegaze, but they jam… a lot! Robbie’s sporadic, almost spastic movements were something to watch in and of itself. His guitar playing complemented the dream pop melodies that Gusti would lay down on the keys. My favorite song from their set was “I Don’t Mind,” being that it was really the song of theirs I knew the best. I just loved the melodies on this track and I hope you like them too. I talked a bit with Gusti after their set and grabbed a copy of their new LP a few weeks before its official release… It’s really good.