Lamar and Carter arrived in Boston as a duo, Carter moving here in October of 2004 and Lamar following a few months later, set on doing something with a growing folder full of his own songs. The two lived on the end of Gardner Street in Allston for a year, throwing snowballs at BU brats from the porch and searching for a full band to play out with. They hit upon the notorious Wednesday open-mic night at the All Asia in Central Square, a chaotic free-for-all that’s developed a debaucherous indie scene that’s helped give rise to bands like the Shills, This Car Up, and 28 Degrees Taurus.
“I’m actually amazed with how many bands there are here, for such a small town,” says Lamar. It was through hardscrabble shows in that glass-windowed corner with the DIY PA system that the band slowly evolved into their current four-piece state, with Chris Peck driving up from New York to play drums and Lance Reilly playing a second guitar. Lamar still writes everything himself and, up to the point of the latest record, records everything before handing it to Carter for mixing — but the rest of the members are having their way more and more.
“We just work together into making everything sound like a real band,” says Lamar. “I’m honestly just playing the simplest, dumbest drum parts on the recordings. Chris can listen to the songs on his headphones on the bus and get to practice with a better idea of what to play.”
Theirs may be a work in progress, but its one that they’ve gamely put on display with a high degree of transparency — sort of like an ant farm. Carter has taken to describing their gigs as “the wildest show in town,” but it’s you never really know what to expect. Maybe someone should give FEMA a heads-up, just in case.
SHONEY LAMAR + JUSTIN WALKER + WATER FOR IVAN + JUSTIN SHOREY | Midway Café, 3496 Washington St, Jamaica Plain | October 14 at 9 pm | 627.524.9038 or www.midwaycafe.com
