“Before Rubblebucket played its Tiny Desk Concert, its members asked if they could bring a confetti cannon,” writes NPR’s Bob Boilen. “And, though I said no — dear coworkers, I really do care about you — the band still brought a fun mix of brass and brash to the Tiny Desk.”
That set appears below in its full 13:44 minutes. But you don’t have to watch the whole thing to get the whimsey and work ethic that are poured into this band’s performance. The horns are both bittersweet and celebratory; the rhythm section is neither too loose nor too tight and lead vocalist Kalmia Traver sings with her whole body. The words come through shakes, twitches and muscular eyebrows — it sounds strange, but watch her perform and you’ll begin to think that everyone should sing with such utter investment.
All of this is to say that if Rubblebucket is this much fun at Boilen’s desk, how great will they be onstage at The Orange Peel? The Brooklyn-based indie-dance band plays that venue on Wednesday, May 20, at 9 p.m. Vacationer and local buskers Midnight Snack also perform. $14 advance/$16 day of show.
