Tycho Brahe - Govnor's Public House 4.27.07

Here's a band I just have not heard much about. I know I've seen their name before but not often. They're definitely not a Demarco band. (you playing musicians know what I'm talking about) You always have to give a band some credit for having a cool name. It takes imagination to name your band after a Silurian bivalve pelecypod (ancient clam) ! .... No. Just kidding. They're named for an ancient Danish "astronomer" who was a good drinking buddy of Johannes Kepler.

I was only able to catch a set of Tycho's performance. They're a three-piece outfit with drums, bass and a guitarist/keyboardist. They all sing. I admire them for doing the kind of material they really want to do. The first set that I was there for was definitely geared for an older crowd as it was mostly 60s and 70s rock. When I was leaving, I heard them doing Jaded by Aerosmith so they at least got one more recent tune in there. All three guys were accomplished on their instruments. I really liked the guitar playing and he had some great lead solos. The bassist had some nice bass lines happening and the drummer was solid.

Taking into account that they were playing in the worst acoustic room in the area, the vocals just were not all there. The bass player's vocals were just not all that good. The guitarist slash keyboardist's vocals were better but they should have lowered the key of several of the songs. It just doesn't sound good when someone is singing on the far outskirts of their vocal range and they just can't quite hit the high notes. "All Right Now" by Free was a great example. The instrumental part was very good. The vocal just wasn't.

Tycho Brahe was basically a good band. Each song flowed to the next. They would be all that much better if the songs were in registers that the guitar player could feel more comfortable in. They are a band for the older crowd. Oh .. and one more thing. I've always thought it strange when bands pass out flyers with their upcoming gigs listed on them. I had a bar owner once express his distaste with this practice once stating that he didn't appreciate the band advertising for other bars in his bar. If it was a well-liked band, the clientele would be advised to follow them to some other watering hole to spend their money. Just a pointer. Pass out leaflets with your web site and and ask for the customers' e-mail addresses for you mailing list instead.