Ragged glory

Off to Zaphod's to see much buzzed-about roots rocker Eamon McGrath, a man whose voice is sliding into Tom Waits territory at a perilously young age. On this occasion the opening band was The Goodnight Webcams. Convenient, since he is one of the five members, and their frontman Peter Dreimanis is the accompaniment on his current tour.

The Goodnight Webcams have a dodgy name (Googling it is not really recommended) but produce a sort of squalling country rock that makes me think of Carla Bozulich and Evangelista. It helps that singer Leah Goldstein's voice reminds me ever-so-slightly of Karen Dalton's. Josh Warburton and Danny Miles fill out the rhythm section for their high-energy set.


The Goodnight Webcams at Zaphod Beeblebrox, March 31, 2011

Peter played keyboards with such enthusiasm he almost knocked it off the stand.


The Goodnight Webcams at Zaphod Beeblebrox, March 31, 2011

Perhaps all the jumping Eamon was doing during the Webcams' set was because he didn't have any real chance to bounce around while sitting down with Peter for his own set. The drum machine rhythms made me think of the first Mark Lanegan Band EP.


Eamon McGrath at Zaphod Beeblebrox, March 31, 2011

He certainly put the microphone stand through the wringer.


Eamon McGrath at Zaphod Beeblebrox, March 31, 2011

A very engaging evening.

• Show reminder: Comeback Kid, Title Fight, The Carrier, Counterparts and Constraints are at Mavericks; upstairs you'll find Subsistance, Machine Gun Dolly, The Rotten, Hellbats and The Scally Cap Brats at Cafe Dekcuf; The Grave Mistakes and Muffler Crunch are at the Clocktower Pub; The Darcys, Those Gulls and The Ticket perform at Zaphod's; Freeman Dre and the East Coast Kitchen Party and Papa Shango roll into The Rainbow; The Drew Nelson Band Plays Irene's; Lowest of the Low play the first of two sold-out shows at the Elmdale with The Cutmen.