Anyone who came to Lawnya Vawnya from out of town got a crash course in East coast vibes from local five-piece Spring Var, who kicked off festivities at the Ship in folksy style. Mixing Celtic influences with rock, the group came armed with an accordion, fiddle and 12-string acoustic strums. There were even waltz-time shanties and lyrics about the ocean to really set the mood.
The arrangements were a touch shaky, with Amelia Harris reading some of the lyrics off of a cheat sheet, and occasionally struggling to find the right note. Between songs, she nervously admitted how awkward she felt while the members swapped instruments.
She eventually came into her own during the more rock-leaning numbers, when the folk instruments were swapped out for electric guitar and drums, and Harris's breathy voice was at its strongest.
Spring Var clearly knew plenty of the audience members in the room, giving the whole thing the feeling of a warm gathering of supportive friends — a welcoming mood that helped to make up for some of the inconsistencies in the performance.
The arrangements were a touch shaky, with Amelia Harris reading some of the lyrics off of a cheat sheet, and occasionally struggling to find the right note. Between songs, she nervously admitted how awkward she felt while the members swapped instruments.
She eventually came into her own during the more rock-leaning numbers, when the folk instruments were swapped out for electric guitar and drums, and Harris's breathy voice was at its strongest.
Spring Var clearly knew plenty of the audience members in the room, giving the whole thing the feeling of a warm gathering of supportive friends — a welcoming mood that helped to make up for some of the inconsistencies in the performance.