On Wednesday the 9th, the DC9 was treated to two small but impressive acts.

Opening the evening was Ms. Rachel Goodrich, a deceptively petite gal with big energy from Florida. Armed with her ukulele and kazoo, she impressed everyone in the room with her catchy tunes and irreverent lyrics. She appears to be gaining more exposure by the day, so make sure to give her a listen (I recommend “Lightbulb”). If you get a chance to see her live, it adds another whole layer to the experience.

The main act was Ezra Furman & the Harpoons. I went to college with these guys (go Tufts!), so had some idea of what I was getting myself into, but hadn’t heard them for a couple of years. Since then, they have put out a couple albums and have been met with rave reviews after live shows.

They’ve only tightened up their act and the songwriting since then. At times he reminds me of a Conor Oberst-type lyricist, but frontman Ezra puts off a kind of frantic energy that is as hard to compare as it is to imitate. Try out “I Wanna Be Ignored” for a good snapshot of the group, or the newer “Take Off Your Sunglasses“.

Two characters, two great performances.