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ACL review: The Belleville Outfit
The Belleville Outfit, one of Austin’s premier acoustic bands, raised a lot of smiles from the BMI Stage on Sunday afternoon with a cheerful and sophisticated set grounded in gypsy jazz, finely crafted vocal harmonies and a dozen different flavors of swing. Hey, who said it was hot out here? Once the Belleville sextet hit the stage, the musical spirit was nothing but cool and breezy.
The Belleville Outfit is fronted by songwriters Phoebe Hunt (violin and vocals) and Rob Teter (guitar and vocals), but it’s clear that they are a band of equals who are terrific listeners. The audience picked up on it, too, cheering the solos not so much as the band’s deft tempo changes and their keen sense of time. When pianist Connor Forsyth locks in with Hunt’s violin on “Caroline” or guitarist Marshall Hood locks in with her on “Wandrin,” it’s musical beauty of the highest order.
Sensing that their 6-month-old debut album might not seem brand new to many Austinites in the crowd, the Belleville Outfit took advantage of their first ACL gig to debut seven new songs. They opened the show with Teter’s “Let Me Go,” a swinging, crooner’s blues that sounded as if it could have been written by one of the band’s great inspirations, the late Walter Hyatt. A few minutes later, Hunt trotted out “Time to Stand,” a deep and delicate tune of reflection that showed off the band’s affinity for both Appalachian and bayou imagery. On “Nothing’s Too good for My Baby,” Hunt summoned the spirit of Anita O’Day. Special guest Warren Hood (Marshall’s cousin, and son of the late Champ Hood) joined the band on the last two tunes of the set, “Sunday Morning I’m Always Missing You” and “Oh Babe.”
Photo: Jay Janner AMERICAN-STATESMAN
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Permalink | Comments (2) | Categories: ACL 2008: Sunday, ACL Festival
Comments
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By David Steur
September 29, 2008 9:54 PM | Link to this
My favorite band by far cant wait to see there show again.
By Robin Hood
September 30, 2008 2:44 PM | Link to this
This group is forever interwoven with Uncle Walt’s Band and that legacy; although they have a sound all their own, it has its roots in the music that Walter Hyatt, Champ Hood, and David Ball made Austin folks love over 30 thirty years ago. Keep on Swangin’ guys! Festival!
R.Hood, Spartanburg, SC