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He’s a little bit country, a little bit rock and roll and about a thousand other things. Shakey Graves, the stage name of 28-year-old Alejandro Rose-Garcia, is hard to figure out. His most recent album, And the War Came, is categorically folksy. Those of us who have been exposed largely to his latest work had him pegged as your typical acoustic guitar-slinging hipster who eats granola out of a mason jar.
Turns out, he’s much more complex than that. Beer in hand, the surprisingly fratty-looking Austin native greeted the sold-out crowd with boyish charm and excitement that you just can’t fake. He was genuine from start to finish. Personality and off-the-wall behavior turned the whole affair into equal parts theater and music.
He started slow with “Donor Blues,” giving it more character than the album version, and moved on to “Proper Fence.” As things picked up speed, Rose-Garcia incorporated electric guitar, demonstrating an undeniable mastery of the instrument. He made it look easy, bouncing from guitar to guitar like an excited toddler on Christmas.
Vocals are his shining talent, though. He flawlessly navigated refrains that artists like Dave Matthews and Amos Lee make a living off of. Rose-Garcia seemed to say, “This is easy, why don’t we kick it up a notch?” Or ten. He’s a powerhouse, belting lyrics filled with wisdom beyond his years.
Perhaps most indicative of his talent was his rendition of “Dearly Departed,” the chart-topping hit featuring Esme Patterson – she wasn’t there and it didn’t matter. He stands alone in a monumental way.
For the nearly the first half of the set, Rose-Garcia played alone, an astonishing realization every time you stopped to take in everything he was accomplishing solo. When he brought out his band, they seemed superfluous. Though the band’s chemistry added even more character to a personality-filled show, Rose-Garcia didn’t need them.
What’s striking about Rose-Garcia is his refusal to be pigeonholed. Every time a fitting comparison would arise – my running list included Paolo Nutini, Mumford and Sons and Nathaniel Rateliff – he would throw you for a loop and toss in a guitar riff and chorus reminiscent of Jon Bon Jovi. He’s doing his own thing and it’s working.
Rose-Garcia seems almost surprised by his success, his self-satisfied smiles filled with genuine gratitude for his adoring fan base. He doesn’t take himself too seriously, though no one would fault him for it. Instead he acts his age, bantering with the audience and knocking beers with anyone in arm’s reach.
The show was a bit chaotic, with tangential guitar solos that at times went on for too long. The band seemed to watch Rose-Garcia just as closely as the audience, unsure of what he might do. This gimmick, though endearing and crowd-pleasing for now, may get old fast. He’s young, though, with plenty of time to fine-tune his direction.
His older music, which took up an unwarranted portion of the set, is far more dark and twisty, while And the War Came depicts an individual who is calmer, more centered and ready to speak his truth. We’re all eager to hear more of it.
