Review: Wussy Pair Down Lineup for Excellent Funhouse Performance

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“We flew all the way out here just for tonight because we love you so much,” Wussy frontwoman Lisa Walker told the packed crowd at Funhouse last night during an intimate, stripped-down 3-piece version of their normal quintet. “Really.” The band kept promising they’d be back in June with the full band and that they’d have the new album with them that they were dying to bring with, but weren’t allowed.

Wussy has been going incredibly strong and unfairly under the radar since 2001. Formed in Ohio, the band has gained quite the following here in the Pacific Northwest and you could hear the diversity in where the crowd was coming from amidst the chatter last night. Everywhere from Redmond to close-to-Spokane people came out to see the tiny three-piece’s show.  For anyone who’s been a longtime fan, the drive certainly was worth it as the band unveiled several new songs and playfully and comically flubbed old classics.

“Boy, haven’t played that one in damn near seven years.” Fellow frontman Chuck Cleaver said.

“Yeah, you started in one key and finished in another,” Lisa Walker added, then smirked. “But that’s Wussy.”

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“And they expect me to follow this?” Lap steel player Joe Erhardt added. A man of few words, this was one of his only lines of the night, and it was met with great applause from the crowd. Much like his crowd banter, Joe’s lap steel playing is sparse, but excellently placed, and greatly compliments the melodic playing and singing of Lisa Walker and Chuck Cleaver.

The band is playing on KEXP today and then tonight at Sonic Boom in Ballard. Tomorrow evening they’ll be headed south to Portland before beginning a string of east coats day through the rest of March and into the UK to finish off April in pursuit of promoting their newest full length, Forever Sounds, out March 4th.

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Alex Stanilla

Alex Stanilla is a writer from Lebanon, Pennsylvania now residing in Seattle, WA. He enjoys cats, pasta, live music, coffee and donuts and trying to write about all of those things. You can catch him at a show or the bar or the bar at the show where he'll somehow find a way to compare whatever band is playing to Elliott Smith. Find him on Twitter at @Kanga_rooBoy

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