Live: Restorations with Sad & French @ American Trash 3.29.12

The JS-NYC love for Restoration should be of no surprise to regular readers. Word is that there is a new 7" coming and they have stepped up the touring a bit. This date was an acoustic set at an MS benefit curated by a woman who had lost her mother recently and was friends with all the players. I was in it for Restorations, obviously. I'd missed Sad & French a couple times before and was looking forward to catching the end of their and dipping out early. The acoustic portion did not bode well, but ultimately it was a pleasure not to have to ride over a bridge to see a show.

So American Trash is exactly the kind of dive bar you'd expect to find on the Upper East Side: a little Hot Topic, but with the trappings of a punk bar, for those of you that like to slum. I came in as someone who I'm pretty sure was Anthony Walker played his final note and hoped that Restorations were next. Instead, a guy in a Descendants t-shirt and another similarly scruffy gent hauled an upright into position and worked through a half hour or so of decent enough Jeff Klein-y rock mixed with a cover or two. The sound left a bit to be desired, but the guy can sing and the songs intrigued me enough that I will show up early enough to catch a Sad & French opening set sometime soon.

Restorations acoustic in this situation was Jon and Dave playing a short, if not especially remarkable, set for the good cause. The stripped down Restorations may translate better at house shows, but they suffered in a loudish bar that didn't really have bands with any regularity. I took solace in things wrapping early (for me, at least) and figure the full band Acheron show will be the one to see.

R