Vandevander Releases DVD Tonight

Vandevander will release and screen their 90-minute DVD tonight at the River Parks Amphitheater in Tulsa.

The DVD features footage from the band’s release show for The Great State of Denial at The Colony in August 2008. The DVD also features commentary by the band and other local musicians.

SHOW INFO:
• Where: River Parks Amphitheater, 2100 S. Jackson, in Tulsa
• Bands: Wink Burcham & The Division, Pilgrim, Jesse Aycock Band, Sage Flower Trio and The Boy Modern
• Time / Admission: 4pm / $10 or $15 with DVD

Read an article from Urban Tulsa Weekly after the jump.

Night at the Movies
Vandevander celebrates its DVD release at River Parks Amphitheater
BY G.K. HIZER

After a weekend as exhausting as DFest, it could be tempting to stay in and recover, perhaps kick back on the couch with some popcorn and a movie, or just sit and watch the sunset.

You could also do both by catching a live show Friday evening at the River Parks Amphitheater.

If you’re wondering just what I’m suggesting, you probably haven’t been following Vandevander, one of Tulsa’s more prolific and emotionally jarring live bands. Upon finishing the second of a trilogy of EP’s that will cycle through the emotional psyche, Matt Fisher recorded the release party for The Great State of Denial at The Colony in August of 2008. Nearly a year later, the group emerges with a documentation of that show, produced by bassist Eric Arndt, and will debut it with a release party and concert at the amphitheater Friday night, July 31.

Surprisingly, the DVD is more than just another performance film. Yes, the bulk of the footage is taken from the release party and concert, but instead of focusing solely on the show itself, Arndt inserts commentary and interview footage with not only Fisher and his bandmates, but also a number of friends and peers from Tulsa’s music community. And while some of the commentary, especially at the beginning seems a bit blustery and over-the-top, by the end of the film, it’s clear that Fisher has truly earned the respect of his peers with the vision and honesty of his work.

More than a portrait of the band, the film sheds light on the local music community and the expanding role The Colony continues to play in that effort. Rumored by some to be the location of now legendary sit-ins with Clapton, Harrison, JJ Cale and Leon Russell in the ’70s, the small bar at 28th and Harvard has become a safe haven of sorts for musicians and music fans since reopening as The Colony just a few years ago. Although the club doesn’t advertise or post a schedule, it does host music seven nights a week and has become a favorite stage for many local musicians because of its intimate atmosphere.

As much as the interview clips add to the film, the live experience reveals the most about Matt Fisher and his creative vision with the band; the live footage does not disappoint.

Arndt’s camera crew captures the angst, anger and pain of the band’s music with appropriate dark and backlit hues, conveying the vibe of the night nearly as well Fisher transposes his emotions through his guitar. Occasionally spastic and angular, the footage fits the music near perfectly, matching the emotions, rage and intensity of the evening with an unparalleled quality.

A Vandevander show is always a visceral experience, and the live footage captures this far better than I expected, which is a testament to Arndt’s treatment of the material. Of course, Fisher obviously knew the show was being filmed, and while a film crew might be an impediment to some, it proved to be no obstacle to him, adding to the victory of the performance.

The entire package is capped with an incredible treatment of the soundtrack by engineer Jonathan Schroeder, who captured the evening and turned out one of the best local live recordings I’ve heard to date, harnessing the energy and input of both the band and the audience.

In celebration of the DVD’s completion, Vandevander, with assistance from The Colony, is holding a release party and the floating amphitheater stage at River Parks this Friday evening. Gates open at 4pm and the evening opens with performances by a number of Fisher’s close friends and peers, including Wink Burcham and The Division, Pilgrim, Jesse Aycock Band, Sage Flower Trio and The Boy Modern. Although Vandevander is not on the bill, there’s a possibility that each band may cover a song or two, and I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see Fisher sit in with a few of his buddies.

The evening will wrap with a full screening of Vandevander, The Colony on the big screen. The afterparty will then be held at The Colony, appropriately enough; with a performance by Dead Sea Choir at 11pm. Tickets for the DVD event are $10 at the gate or $15 with a copy of the DVD. As with all Colony shows, admission to the afterparty is free.