Rough Trade’s stew of multicolored lights seemed fitting shining down on Little Tybee, a band whose genre has been described as experimental, folk rock, progressive, psychedelic, and orchestral pop all in the same breath. With elements of so many different sounds, you never know what to expect.
Brooklyn did, though. Despite it being late on a weeknight, the venue was fairly full – in terms of space, a few more than a pickle jar and a few less than a sardine can – of interesting people, who listened attentively to the Atlanta, Georgia jammers.
Little Tybee’s most recent album name, For Distant Viewing, makes perfect sense when you hear them play. Their wide range weaves a complex sound, and the roll call for stringed instruments alone includes acoustic guitar, electric bass, double bass, violin, viola, and even an eight-string electric guitar. But it never sounds busy. It’s the kind of music that makes you want to ease into a rocking chair with a cold iced tea and just watch the world go by.
Little Tybee
Little Tybee
Little Tybee
Little Tybee
Little Tybee
And while some songs evoked that people-watching-from-your-porch kind of mood, others begged you to stomp and twirl. “This one is a ‘dance with your girlfriend’ kind of song. Or your boyfriend. Or whatever you dance with,” said lead singer Brock Scott, peeking out from underneath his wide brown hat with a smile.
Little Tybee
Little Tybee
Little Tybee
Little Tybee
Nirvana Kelly was beyond lovely on violin, and the whole sextet melded so nicely, you got the feeling that they could try just about anything. They confirmed this in spades, blending a surprise Paul Simon cover and even a snippet of Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1 smoothly into their set.
Little Tybee
Little Tybee
Little Tybee
Little Tybee
Throughout the show, it almost felt like Little Tybee had discovered some kind of a secret and were giving us a very small glimpse of it. Maybe they recently perfected a time machine, or found a way to stitch sunshine itself into their sound. I wouldn’t be surprised.
Article: Olivia Isenhart
