Live: The Duke Spirit on Tour With BRMC

ARTICLE BY MYCHELLE PETERSON
PHOTOS BY SCOTT SPYCHALSKI

One of the great joys of seeing a band several nights in a row is the ability to compare and contrast performances and take note of whether the band goes through the motions or whether they really live in the moment each night. I had the great pleasure of seeing The Duke Spirit five times in the last two weeks, and though the set lists didn’t greatly differ, each night’s performance was nuanced with enough flair and variety to keep me entertained every time.

Earlier this month, The Duke Spirit embarked on a month-long trek through some lesser known towns with Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, giving both bands the opportunity to play to crowds who might ordinarily never know their names, let alone their music. It’s an interesting experiment, and it was met with mixed results. Some crowds seemed glad to be out of the house no matter what band was playing, and some genuinely were excited that these two bands made a stop in their town. What impressed me most was the passion and intensity that both bands gave each performance.

My first night with the tour was in East Lansing, Mich., where the bands were playing a Jack Daniels Studio No. 7 private event. The crowd couldn’t have been more than about 200 college kids, and the stage was roughly three feet off the ground. But it was of no consequence. The Duke Spirit’s fiery frontwoman, Liela Moss, charmed the crowd with effortless cool and belted out the tunes as if her life depended on it. Although I have previously described Moss to friends as sex-on-wheels, she is much more than just a hot chick in great clothes. Her voice fills the room with soul and sex appeal, and her moves mirror the sound. The Duke Spirit introduced themselves to the East Lansing crowd and confessed that if not for this tour, they might never have heard of the college town. By the end of their set, it looked like they’d won at least a few fans.

Playing a heavy dose of songs from their most recent release, Neptune, the band’s live sound is more raw than may come across on the record. But who wants to see a band who sounds exactly like they do on record anyway? Moss’ voice is even richer live, and you wonder where she stores those pipes in such a petite package.

Each night, the crowd got a little variety in The Duke Spirit’s set with a track or two from their debut album Cuts Across the Land. When I spoke with the band in Chicago, I asked if they planned on re-visiting older tracks when they play this weekend’s headlining gig at the Troubadour. Specifically, I asked about maybe something from 2006’s Covered in Love EP, which consists of decidedly non-run-of-the-mill covers, including tracks by Desmond Dekker and Jessie Mae Hemphill. Though Moss conceded that the band was just getting around to soundchecking some different material, guitarist Luke Ford did say he hoped they could play an Arthur Lee cover while in his hometown.

A lot has been made of the fact that The Duke Spirit recorded their new album with Chris Goss and Dave Catching in the California desert. For a band whose image conjures all that is British and whose lyrics often center around nautical and seafaring themes, it seemed like it could have been a disaster. But Moss described it quite differently. The songs had been written in England, and the demos were all recorded before the band stepped foot on U.S. soil. And the finished tracks sound quite like their English demos, according to Ford. Yet they both did feel that working with Goss and Catching added layers to the album that they couldn’t have achieved on their own. The result is a collection of polished yet soulful rock songs ranging from danceable tracks like “The Step and The Walk” to dreamy ballads like “Sovereign.”

Late in the tour, drummer Ollie Betts ruptured his eardrum, causing the band to do a stripped-down set in Madison, Wis. It showed the band in a new light, and Moss’ voice took center stage even more. But when Betts woozily came on stage for the last two songs, the band lit up and so did the crowd. For anyone doubting the power of the drummer, Betts is here to ensure the job security of talented stickmen everywhere.

Following the final night of the tour in Chicago on Sunday (another JD event), Moss and the gang were headed to New York to play Conan O’Brien (tonight!) before flying into L.A. to earn what Moss called “their reward at the end of the tour,” playing at the famed Troubadour. Though they genuinely seemed to love being on the road with the boys of Black Rebel, every band wants to spread their wings a bit and play headlining gigs. And so Moss explained that although the tour hadn’t been that hard because they’d had such a good time, it still felt like a reward at the end of road for them to play in L.A.

I remarked that with all the miles logged in the U.S. after recording the album, playing SXSW and now the BRMC tour, the band was spending more time here than at home. And while the obvious challenges of missing friends and family came up, the band definitely sounds excited about their upcoming summer headlining tour. Details are still being sorted out, but be on the lookout for a set of dates soon.

After seeing The Duke Spirit several times, I can wholeheartedly recommend seeing them live in order to fully appreciate their passion and to just hear how amazing Moss’ vocals really are. And yes, it’s also quite a treat to see her prance and shake her way through the set. I don’t care who you are, if you don’t walk away with a little crush on her, you might be a eunuch. Don’t believe me? See for yourself when The Duke Spirit plays the Troubadour this Saturday, May 10. Tickets are still available!

Special thanks to both bands for five amazing nights, The Duke Spirit’s awesome tour manager, Kim, and super Sam at Filter for making this happen.

Comments

[paulag]

fohcking awesome mychelle. you rock chick.

[mychelle]

that's my girl.... wash that mouth out with soap, young lady. :P daddy's gonna read this.

[paulag]

Hi Mr. Peterson!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mychelle]

HA HA HA.

[charlotte]

actually, the duke spirit show at the troubadour is sold out.

nice review mychelle!

[Mychelle's Dad]

Paula!!! Do you eat with that mouth too??? LOL ;^P

Mychelle does write a good review, doesn't she? All you need is a few decent folks to play down there....

[mychelle]

Awww, thanks Dad. :)

Did everyone see The Duke Spirit on Conan?