Headlining Act: The Bells (with Kleenex Girl Wonder, Six Acre Lake)

Photo Credit: dbrosenzweig

The Rock Shop | Brooklyn, NY

Friday, January 20th, 2012

Guest Reviewer: keenangaynor

Drink of choice for the evening: Jack Daniel’s Honey, copious amounts of beer

I had very high expectations last night while trekking to Brooklyn to see Kleenex Girl Wonder - a band that I have loved for several years now but had yet to see live. Accompanied by IAS contributor Dro and friends, it’s safe to say that our expectations were definitely met. 

To be honest, we were a bit worried towards the start of the show. This is because our party of four made up about 25% of the crowd by the time the first band had stepped up to the stage. Sure enough though, by the time KGW was ready to go (and we strayed from the bar to the stage area), there was a much more impressive collection of Kleenex fans gathered around.

If KGW were compared to a human body, Graham Smith would likely comprise of its heart (and the majority of its brain). Although together (in different variations) for over seventeen years, Graham Smith has been the sole contributor / songwriter throughout the years. He is notorious for playing gigs under the moniker KGW one night, and Graham Smith the next. With that said, however, having guitarist Thayer McClanahan and drummer Matt LeMay on hand was an excellent combination (allowing the threesome to lean towards playing some of their more guitar-driven, more powerful songs).

After KGW’s ~30 minute set was over, I can honestly say that I probably only recognized about two songs total (if that). In my defense, KGW/Graham Smith collectively have a discography of over fifteen albums (ranging from 1996 - 2011) - only a few of which I am very familiar with. Regardless, each song performed was full of energy, irony and humor - living up to their mantra of “lyrically complex emotional pop music.” 

On top of playing a great show, Graham Smith is also a very cool, personable dude. We chatted with him for a bit after the show, even noting a cover that I did of one of his tunes last year. He also explained to us that, when it comes to his live performances, he prefers to play songs that haven’t been played before (or at least not in a long time). Hence why if you happen to be in love with a particular tune, the chances of hearing it live are likely slim. He did, however, play the title track of his latest album, “Secret Thinking.”

If you’re not familiar with KGW, you can familiarize yourself via KGW.me.

8.5 / 10