Many bands might be insulted if a venue told them, “You have to be done playing at 10 p.m. because we have to play ’80s records.” But Sunset Valley took the news in stride when they played their show Sept. 20 at John Henry’s, 136 E. 11th Ave., before ’80s night. The stop was one of many on a tour promoting their new CD, “icepond.”
The band knew the conditions of the gig before they arrived that night. They even mocked the situation as guitarist/lead singer Herman Jolly mentioned multiple times during their set how they needed to make way for ’80s night.
“It used to be ’80s night every night,” he said into the microphone. “You’re lucky that it’s only once a week.”
Bass player Eric Furlong said that running the end of their set into the start of ’80s night gives them exposure to many Eugene listeners who wouldn’t normally come out to see their show.
The band played less than an hour because the two-hour slot for music was split among three bands. The Stores and Man of the Year both opened in kind of a venue fluke. Rory Carroll of The Stores (previously of Gabriel Blue) said when they heard Sunset Valley was playing John Henry’s, they called the booking agent and said, “We’re opening.” In the meantime, Sunset Valley invited their friends Man of the Year to come play with them.
The Stores have an intimate connection to Sunset Valley. Carroll said when he first met Jolly, they started talking about band names that Carroll and his drummer had in mind for a yet nonexistent band.
“When we came to The Stores, Jolly said, ‘That’s it. You’re The Stores,’” Carroll said.
On Thursday, other aspiring bands could have taken inspiration from Sunset Valley in a similar fashion by just going up and saying, “Hi.” The band looked just like any other group of patrons until they opened a large suitcase containing CDs and T-shirts.
It’s apparent how down-to-earth a band is when it comes to selling merchandise. After the show, Jolly stood haggling with The Stores drummer.
Drummer: “How much for a T-shirt?”Jolly: (thinking) “$7.”Drummer: “But we gave you The Stores CD for free!”
John Henry’s is the perfect place to find any band in a casual, disarming setting. The stage has steps leading right down to the checkerboard floor where the audience stands. Other people linger in the weary chairs or benches toward the back, at the bar or playing pool under the Budweiser lights.
The venue puts off a muted red glow, the kind of tone likely found in the calmer regions of hell — not that it’s a bad thing. There are no pretenses of propriety: The place is dirty. There are stickers on the walls, furniture and even what used to be the bathroom mirror.
But it’s a great spot to go to hear some good music, have some drinks and (if it’s ’80s night) dance.
Sunset Valley’s third release is a pleasant kind of pop-rock that is a middle-of-the-road effort with a range of songs that don’t get too hard or too wussy. For a three-piece band, they create a surprisingly full sound. For their second album, “boy scout superhero,” the band expanded their numbers with a new drummer (current drummer Jonathan Drews moved to second guitar). When a fan inquired about a song he had heard at a prior concert that was distinguished by a cowbell, Furlong said the song, “touch you,” is on the new record, but there is no cowbell because Drews’ drum set doesn’t have one.
“Touch you” is good rock ‘n’ roll. It rocks a lot harder live, and that is a general rule for all of their songs. Something about not being able to understand all the vocals makes a song rock harder. The band does a lot with vocals using both Jolly as lead and Drews as back-up. On songs such as “blackberry bushes”and “nautilus sun”they do a cooing vocal chorus that reminds one of something Philip Glass wrote for the film “Koyaanisqatsi.” It’s hypnotic.
“Janey O’” is a pleasant folk song, almost country; it’s something that should be listened to barefoot. The third song, “fall fly,” sounds like gospel music — it’s got soul.
By diversifying their songs, the band avoids becoming tiresome. If they stuck to the style of any one of their songs, it would get boring pretty fast. The CD is well worth the $10 they’re asking for it on the record label’s Web site (www.barsuk.com). (Death Cab for Cutie is also on this label.) There are three Sunset Valley songs you can download for free, but be warned: The songs available do offer variety, but they aren’t the best on the album.