OK, it?s true; the gourd was, indeed, stolen.
Those of you wondering if the Web rumors that someone swiped a gourd from a Boston stage during a gig by The Walkmen can now rest easy. It?s true, and the band is still annoyed.
“We use it for our percussion. We just left it on the stage, because we thought no one would steal a gourd,” said Pete Bauer, speaking from a hotel in Australia. “That was a rough crowd.”
For those who know the sound of the indie rock band, it?s no surprise that a gourd is used in their music. The band?s 2002 debut album, “Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me Is Gone,” was well received for its experimental approach and progressive sound. Think Bob Dylan meets indie rock.
The band seemed well on its way to major icon status when critics hailed its 2004 album, “Bows & Arrows,” as one of the year?s best. What a surprise when the band?s 2006 album, “A Hundred Miles Off,” brought a hailstorm of criticism from an array of music press on several continents.
“We definitely took a lot of heat for it,” Bauer said. “I don?t understand it. It wasn?t like we had grandmas rapping on there or something.”
But no matter ? the band?s re-energized and working on a new album, slated for release this year.
“It?s got a quality we never had luck with before,” Bauer said, crediting the members? more separate songwriting and stable personal relationships with the change. “We play the songs on the tour. That is the most exciting music for us.”
If you go
The Walkmen with The Broken West and Ferraby Lionheart
» Venue: The Ottobar, 2549 N. Howard St., Baltimore
» Time: 10 p.m. Friday
» Cost: $12; www.missiontix.com
» More info: 410-662-0069
