Escondido | Photo by John Vettese for WXPN

Free At Noon Flashback: Escondido channels the Wild West at World Cafe Live

June 10, 2016

03:06 PM

Escondido | Photo by John Vettese for WXPN

Escondido wasn’t satisfied with the initial reaction to their introduction at Friday’s Free at Noon, so they requested another. The people of World Cafe Live perked up upon a repeat intro, giving the band what they asked for. The band took the stage and Tyler James, one half of the Nashville-based duo, blasted his trumpet just in case the demand for a more lively crowd didn’t infuse enough energy into the room. Escondido’s set was emphatically under way.

Playing a mixture of tracks from their 2013 debut The Ghost of Escondido and this year’s Walking With A Stranger, The band emitted a sound that seemed like it was born in the wild west — a theme that’s evident in songs like “Rodeo Queen.” You can even see the cowgirl in Jessica Maros, the other half of Escondido, in her homemade outfits. But country isn’t the only thing in the duo’s blood. After all, they had to depart from the big city, as admitted in “Leaving Brooklyn.” That track was slower, but the pure rock and roll element of the band came alive to close out the eight song set. Before its end, James said frankly with a pause, “We have two more songs for you and they’re going to be…louder.” And louder they were, as “Heart Is Black” and “Bad Without You” brought the volume in the venue to a peak not reached with the peaceful songs like “Black Roses.”

Escondido then left the stage, where they’ll return for a full set later tonight (tickets available at the XPN Concert Calendar). Unlike during their arrival, Escondido’s departure needed no egging on of the crowd. This time, the audience too was “louder.” They loved Escondido.