Tony the Bookie - True Love

(from the recent debut Tony the Bookie presents…the Tony the Bookie Orchestra)

Caught this show for the first time Sunday and was greatly impressed…lot of talent and pure enjoyment between Tony the Bookie and his Orchestra (featuring, among others, the same Elio Deluca of Faces on Film, Mr. Sister, Hallelujah the Hills, and, by my estimate, several dozen more projects). I debated between this track, Georgia’s Song, and Rain Check, but this is the one stuck in my head for now.

Titus Andronicus - Titus Andronicus

More evidence that the universe has some type of underlying logic (or more likely, a textbook case of synchronicity)…I planned on seeing Titus Andronicus in Boston last night, but audibled when I realized Mr. Sister was playing at Tammany Hall in Worcester. This was particularly attractive not because of the venue (college-level bar), city (not much positive to say about Worcester), or other acts (didn’t know any of them); what made it irresistible was that I went to college in that vacuum of a city and spent a great deal of time in that specific bar. Mike (and the first iteration of Faces on Film, previously known as The Nine) used to play there pretty frequently, and there were a lot of good memories (including the old ‘green room’ in the basement, where the owner would deliver us free pitchers and look the other way on pretty much everything).

Anyhow, I made the snap decision to forgo Titus in favor of some nostalgia and supporting friends. Where it gets particularly weird is when I mentioned my alternate plans to Aaron and Elio. Turns out that Elio knows the Titus guys well and actually played on this track, which I’ve been loving all week. Small world.

(Side note: more new music! What is happening to me? I need to post some Mission of Burma or VU, stat.)

Mr. Sister - Die & be Free

Mr. Sister is an indie folk/rock outfit in Boston that showcases the musical talents of Amelia Emmet (pictured). She is backed by Mike Fiore (guitar, vocals), Elio Deluca (two-string, percussion, keys), and Aaron Trail (bass), who she often shares a stage with as part of Faces on Film, as well as Brian Rutledge (trumpet) of Hallelujah the Hills. There’s a lot of band cross-pollination going on here in Boston, and the resulting comfort level has allowed individual styles to flourish.

The Boston Phoenix had this to say:

“She’s like a time-warped Billie Holiday channeling some old candlelit cabaret show of Irish folk tunes.”

Mr. Sister on MySpace Music

>

Keys to the Streets of Fear - Modern World (Jonathan Richman cover)

One of the many projects of Elio Deluca. This cover of Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers was a Boston Phoenix exclusive a few years back.

Elio Deluca, Faces on Film (via Peter Martin Photo)

I think I’m going to start referring to him as “Elio the Black Rose” from now on.

As near as I can tell, Elio is currently a member of at least five bands (Faces on Film, Keys to the Streets of Fear, Hallelujah the Hills, Mr. Sister, Ryan Lee Crosby), playing keys (Hammond, Fender Rhodes, some machine I can’t name, others), two-string guitar, a snare drum & lone cymbal, and I believe bass at one point. A musical Renaissance man.

Amelia Emmet of Mr. Sister (via Peter Martin Photo)

Great show tonight as the new-look Mr. Sister took the stage in Cambridge. Aaron Trail joins Amelia’s band on bass, with Elio Deluca and Mike Fiore taking turns on a single snare drum and cymbal as the percussion section.

Amelia’s got some serious pipes; check out her MySpace.

Cons (via Peter Martin Photo)

Elio of Faces on Film in a quieter moment. I got semi-obsessed with people’s footwear for a couple days.

Elio DeLuca, Faces on Film (via Peter Martin Photo)