Live Review: Page France, Throw Me the Statue at the Croc

Click the photo for a slide show of Page Frnace and Throw Me the Statue. Photos by T.J. Tranchell 

Page France, Throw Me the Statue
August 4, 2007 
Crocodile Cafe
Better than: Knowing you've seen a band but not remembering anything about it.

Local group Throw Me the Statue all look like they just woke up. The keyboardist seems to yawn his vocals and the bassist looks like he spent all night a t a punk show. The frontman, on the other hand, looks like he's been awake long enough to have had a cup of java and a bowl of Cheerios. Just not long enough to shave. Don't let looks fool you. These guys can play.

TMTS played a set of cheery tunes that never went overboard into sappiness and never lost focus on having a good time. They may not quite be ready for anyone outside Seattle yet, but if they keep up what they are doing,  outside recognition won't be far behind.

The smile I gained during Throw Me the Statue soon turned to a strange look of deja vu. Maryland band  Page France took the stage next and the oddest sense that I had seen these guys before crept over me. It wasn't so much the music as it was keyboard/xylophone player Whitney McGraw. I have seen her before. I recognized her foot-stomping way of keeping time while playing the xylophone one-handed. I recognized her subtle backing vocals. I don't know where, though.

What I can place is frontman Michael Nau's desire to be Bob Dylan. A noble goal, and Nau's homage isn't bad, just kind of stale. I also recognized one song so much that when I began singing Credence Clearwater Revival's "Bad Moon Rising"  the words fit a little too perfectly.

Reporter's Bias: having fun on stage goes a long way toward getting me one your side. Throw Me the Statue won me over. Page France, except for McGraw, just looked like they were working too hard.

Random detail: I understand that the orange plastic fence is a neccesity in order to cater to the ll ages set and still be able to sell beer. Unfortunately, it also makes any crowd synergy impossible.