Throwing caution to the wet and cold wind, Sunday night at Zephyr started with a pleasantly surprising Finches set that got the room into a much-needed calm vibe—the weather was going nuts out there. Volumes can be written for and against the mellow set, but there’s no denying how cozy you feel when a warm and soothing voice greets you at the door from the rain.

Immediately afterwards, Katy Davidson took lead vox for the second part of the set, marking one of her first post-Dear Nora solo sets (not like it matters, but full disclosure: Katy sometimes writes for us). [Katy is legit. -- cz] Her set consisted of entirely new material, complex guitar plus vocal arrangements, including a global-warming track that was off the hook! Fuck heat!

Things got noisy then. Vision of a Dying World (San Diego) were the first full band up—they started out on a Sweet-on-Weezer kick, muddled in 91X-brand radio rock, but stopped time when they did a densely harmonized speed-country cover of Dan Johnston’s “Held the Hand.” Jesus Christ.

Golden Boots, however, were the highlight. A little background: as long as I’ve been alive, I’ve known about splits and comps that Golden Boots (from Tucson, by the way) had done but never had heard them in real life. Actualizing that fantasy was one of the most gratifying things I’ve ever done. Golden Boots did half of an hour (maybe 45?) of minimalist Creedence-plus-Stealers Wheel desert country that seemed like seconds. Recognizing the need to bring things full circle, Boots made their last song acoustic and sent everyone into the cold feeling that much warmer for it. Although I know it’s probably not the case, the drummer’s kit was so filthy and dusty that it looked like he practiced in the desert. If my opinion counts for anything: never clean!

Tags: finches, golden boots, katy davidson, review, vision of dying world, zephyr