Live Review: Kelley Stoltz @ Lollapalooza 08/04/06

I left half way through the Eels' amazing set (which included an awesome cover of Peaches' "Rock Show" and Tom Waits' "Jesus Gonna Be Here") and headed over to one of Lollapalooza's smaller stages nestled in the shade, to catch a solid set by multi-instrumentalist and DIY-rocker Kelley Stoltz. One of the more humble performers at Lollapalooza, maybe in part to the modest crowd of 50 who witnessed his 45 minute set on Friday afternoon, he approaches performing with a San Francisco carefree folk attitude: commenting on the beautiful weather, taking time between songs to listen to the city sounds & traffic, and showing his gratitude after each song with a hearty "thanks, folks."

Stoltz with his four piece backing band floated through a warm set consisting of songs off his most recent release Below the Branches and his 2003 release Antique Glow. Stoltz's songwriting and ability to create catchy melodies was on full display. His songs are delicate beauties that recall the simpler days of music, on the song Ever Thought of Coming Back (his advice song to Jesus), he shadows the harmonies and feel good vibes of the Beach Boys with glimmers of his wit in the lyricism. Though the song that really struck a chord with me was Memory Collector, a sweet and simple piano driven recollection song, that showcases his voice and knack for off kilter harmony and lyrics. His performance and personality definitely make his songs very approachable, he may not be breaking new ground in terms of style, but he is extremely skillful in the crafting and performance of his songs. Aside from The Raconteurs' stellar set, in my opinion, Kelley Stoltz was one of the standout performances in Lollapalooza's Friday lineup.