Arc Angels at Irving Plaza (05/08/09)

Photo: Jon Klemm

Arc Angels played Irving Plaza on Friday night (May 8) and at least one concert goer was pretty glad she was there:

A part of me wants to write “good gosh, have mercy!” and leave it at that. Those words really sum up last nights show. Doyle Bramhall II (lead guitar/lead vocals), Charlie Sexton (lead guitar/lead vocals), Chris Layton (drums) along with Mark Newmark (bass) took the stage and proceeded to take you through a mind blowing blues rock set. To call these men good musicians is an understatement. I knew walking in how good these guys were and was still blown away.

I’ll be honest, I got so taken in by the music, I forgot that I was supposed to be thinking about a review! Perhaps that’s for the best. After all, if the music is good why should you be thinking about anything else, right? The music was good, it was damn good. While both Bramhall and Sexton handled lead vocals and lead guitars, quiet well I must say, it was Bramhall who shined on guitar going from subtle to guitar god and back again in the blink of an eye. Sexton, who seemed to be in a particularly good mood, on the other hand was spot on vocally. He seemed more relaxed singing than Bramhall.

Drummer Layton held down the back beat like nobody’s business. It was a bit odd not seeing Tommy Shannon as the other half of the rhythm section but Newmark showed that he’s a stellar talent in his own right. The pair laid a groove so tight that you could bounce a quarter off of it. They kept you moving to the rhythm all night. [Quirky NY Chick]

More pictures after the jump. More tour dates over here.