In Bell Hollow’s case, it isn’t a bad thing to be better live than on record. I very much enjoyed their demo, which I
reviewed a few months back, but the band’s moody, well-crafted songs that verge on the ethereal had the added benefit of a heavy, ballsy underpinning live, through drummer Hayden Millsteed and bassist Christopher Bollman’s driving rhythm section. Greg Fasolino’s guitar was spare and reverb-heavy, filling the Delancey with a wash of minor chords, and Nick Niles’s vocals were stronger and more playful than on record – the soaring high notes were shimmering and pitch perfect. While there was nothing fancy or extravagant about Bell Hollow’s performance, no bells and whistles or matching outfits, (which I have no objection to!), there wasn’t really a need for it, as the band’s music is more of the low key, hypnotic (yet powerful) transportive sort. The best songs of the evening included “Bodies, Rest and Motion,” “Lowlights,” my favorite off of their demo, and “Our Water Burden,” which garnered a few enthusiastic audience shout outs when it was introduced.
Bell Hollow is definitely a band to watch for live…
