By Lyndsey Gilpin

The 930 Listening Room has become a great local venue to see musical acts from around the city, as well as the rest of the country. On Monday, Nov. 16, the Bowerbirds took the stage at the 930, which is owned and operated by Sojourn Community Church.  Upon entering, it became obvious that much more than music was going on here. An art gallery separated the church and the listening room, which happened to be furnished with plush seats for the audience.
The Bowerbirds three-piece ensemble hails from North Carolina, but they quickly became accustomed to the welcoming atmosphere of Louisville. The crowd watched and listened, as they played songs from their recent summer release, “Upper Air.”
The atmosphere was very serene. Phil Moore, the lead vocalist, addressed the audience and thanked them for coming. His voice immediately soothed me. They went straight into their first song, which had an eerie, soothing sound. His voice was absolutely mesmerizing. During the chorus, Beth Tacular accompanied Moore.
Tacular played the accordion for several songs. I had never seen anyone play the accordion live, so I had difficulty taking my eyes off of her hands on the instrument. The sound was absolutely amazing.
The Bowerbirds’ sound is often called nu-folk, which is described as a loose grouping of musicians who utilize new technology as well as various old-fashioned musical styles. The group used acoustic guitars, which had both steel and nylon strings, for different types of sounds. The notes were striking, grabbing and holding the attention of everyone in the audience. Matt Damron played the drums, which were strong, but never overbearing. It was a soft, steady pace that never subsided.
The crowd loved the Bowerbirds, as did I. The best part about the performance was the harmonies. Tacular and Moore meshed together perfectly in each song. The audience was silent, eyes straight ahead on the stage, focusing on the show. Occasionally, someone would yell out a song request, or ask the band to come back to Louisville. Out of the 20 or 30 people in the audience, the avid fans could easily be picked out.
The Bowerbirds played for about an hour, ending with a soft song to close the night. I was almost in a trance. It was a one-of-a-kind concert, definitely, and I was very impressed with the Bowerbirds. After listening to their newest CD, “Upper Air,” I was pleasantly surprised. The album sounded almost identical to their live performance, which is a rare quality in musicians.