Alberta Cross - Mercury Lounge - November 6, 2009
A surprisingly large crowd made the post-work trek to the early show at Mercury Lounge on Friday to see the ethereal blues-rockers Alberta Cross. As a reward, the band put on a remarkable performance for an early billing. Alberta Cross is multifaceted to say the least. Swedish frontman Petter Stakee’s earnest vocals contrasted lead guitarist Sam Kearney’s violently melodic style and captivated the crowd. Behind them, the rhythm section of Terry Wolfers, Alec Higgins and Austin Beede helped the band jump from their more Southern rock-style jams to their lighter, more melody-driven tunes.
The band featured a heavy dose of their full-length debut, Broken Side of Time (released in September), and highlighted tunes like “Song Three Blues,” a slow-burning blues ballad. Stakee’s thin frame swayed back and forth when not glued to the microphone, dishing out his own dose of erratic guitar lines. Alberta Cross displayed incredible aural control, matching four-part vocals and wild instrumental breaks without letting their sound get too muddy and loud. Stakee’s voice rang the loudest, exceptionally showcased on “Taking Control,” on which he wailed in a strikingly high register. The band wound down with “Rise from the Shadows” (a song Stakee described as “gospel”), involving the crowd with the simple chorus and all sorts of clapping, and ended their early set all to quickly. —Sean O’Kane
Photos courtesy of Sean O’Kane | seanokanephoto.com
