Future Bartenderz go full-band at Will's, Cradle of Judah enchant next door at Indie’s — all on a Monday, no less!

For a Monday night, it was unusually sonically busy at Will's Pub, with two very different shows in adjoining rooms.

Lil Indie's featured Storage Music Unit's/Aaron's Home's Derek Dunn doing a suite of acoustic guitar pieces that conjured up John Fahey and Robbie Basho. After Dunn finished, Cradle of Judah — in town on a whim — played a rare solo set of majestic and emotionally gripping neofolk.

Right next door at Will's, Future Bartenderz became plural at long last with this debut performance. After opening sets of solo folk (with a Bowie cover) from Jordan Schneider and easygoing yet ragged surf from The Palmettes, the Bartenderz assembled. Head Bartender Brian Costello has been able to do just fine without any musicians onstage with him up to this point, succeeding by dint of eccentric songcraft and total commitment to.performance. But flanked by a guitarist, bassist and drummer, the music was became more physical and immediate, though with deconstructionist tendencies still in force. All that and a cover of "Lust for Life"? Why not.

— Matthew Moyer