Tauk & Mr. F
Red Square – Albany, NY
Friday, April 11th 2014
Capturing an audience’s attention can be a difficult task, especially for an opener. Because it’s usually a safe bet to say that the crowd isn’t there for you, and you’re standing in between them and the band they came to see. When you combine this with a small stage in the back of a bar and a late show, it could be a potential disaster. Potential.
Or, for Tauk, it could be a wild success, and another notch in their growing popularity.
Opening for Mr. F, who were releasing their newest record that night, Tauk set the pace of the night wonderfully. Whether those in attendance had heard of the group before or not (or were aware of their lack of vocals or not), it didn’t take long for them to become fans. The small-capacity room became steadily packed, nearly filling up by their set’s halfway point.
Like I said before, sometimes it can be hard to gather a room’s attention. But if you have some catchy lyrics that can be learned quickly, the crowd can join in on a chorus or two. However, as an instrumental band, the guys in Tauk don’t have that luxury.
Then again, based on crowd reactions and the feel of the room, the New York quartet didn’t seem too concerned. During their forty minutes on stage, the group rumbled through a near-endless set, picking up steam the entire way and coming to a close on the receiving end of roars of applause.
Friday’s show was one that I nearly had to miss due to a scheduling conflict. But, when some things fell through, my night opened up. And with that, I was lucky enough to watch a band that is doing some seriously great things. With their unique blend of pop, jazz, funk, and old rock n’ roll, Tauk has created their own brand of musical fusion that shouldn’t be missed.
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Photos and written by Eric Riley
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