Thursday, May 13; Puccini's Golden West Saloon (21 and over, 9 p.m.): Guess what! It hasn't all been done before. It's safe to say that Australian-born, Los Angeles-based trio, Brother, are the first to eschew guitars in favor of dueling bagpipes in a rock format that draws on everything from Beach Boys-esque harmonies and sunny, SoCal pop to Latin rhythms and ancient, Aboriginal drones. And that's not to mention the Celtic undertones that drive most of the songs on their new album, Urban Cave.
The new record is something of a departure for the trio (plus merch guy/guest didgeridoo player Didgeri Drew), in that they've expanded their signature “mongrel” sound to include an array of horns, electronic and Taos drums and extensive sampling. Think U2-meets-Midnight Oil-meets-Big Country. “We've taken to calling our music ’100 percent organic,'” says Brother's Hamish Richardson. “Everything in our mix is pure, from the source, no pests.”
