The Ultimate Bearhug
April 21, 2011
Detroit Bar, Costa Mesa
A mix of stay-at-home moms, hipsters, unemployed post-college students, and post 4/20 partiers all gathered at the Detroit Bar yesterday for Denny White, Two Guns, and The Ultimate Bearhug.
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“This is the first time these songs have seen the light of day,” said Denny White, who just recently signed a record deal with Brent Kutzle. (Kutzle plays the cello and bass guitar for OneRepublic.) White graced the stage with his comforting voice and mature lyrical talent while decked in brown boots, blue jeans, and a casual buttoned-up shirt. His fingers gently strummed the keyboard as he sang “Colors” and “Last Goodbye.”
Around 10 p.m., more music junkies downed bottles of Heineken while some proceeded to play pool. It seemed like people were suddenly disappearing into thin air or perhaps making frequent bathroom trips after drinking too much Jägermeister. (Post 4/20 effects?)
At some point, Kevin Poush, Aaron Bradford, Brad Lindsay, Harris Pittman and Gabe Palmer from Two Guns got up on stage and
played songs such as “Until We Part,” and “This Country.” The last song brought all of the long-lost audience members back from the dead.
Then Ultimate Bearhug came out–people started snapping photos excessively and asking for bearhugs. A couple danced to “Heaven Knows.” (How romantic!) Barrett Johnson strummed his guitar alongside singer Doll Knight's voice, which is part Norah Jones, part Florence and the Machine. The bells, accordion, and upright bass transported me into an adult fairy tale. Towards the end of the performance, Knight said, “I wore this dress just for you guys!” while doing a curtsy for the audience.
The Crowd: Hipsters from LA and OC
Overheard in the Crowd: “You're fine until you get fucked up.”
Q: “What's the name of this band?”
A: “One gun.”
“Can we get a bearhug?!”
Set list:
Denny White
Make it last
Colors
Other side
Last goodbye
Velocity
A thousand lights
Two Guns
Land and Sea
Nothing at all
Packing up
Until we part
Happening
This country
The Ultimate Bearhug
Sunshine
Lovely moon
Heaven knows
I'll be your woman
Paper planes
Boxcar blues
Foolish things
South of Los Angeles.
