The Uruguayan from New York and his band wandered back down to H-Town where they met up with semi-local, Being Dead, for a midweek rock show. A sick frontman and two broken guitar strings later and these artists show us that no matter what, the show must go on.
The White Oak Music Hall hosted the man, the myth, the legend, Juan Wauters on Wednesday, July 12th, as part of his “All-American Tour: From Uruguay to the World” US tour, with support from Texas’ own, Being Dead. Both bands welcomed new music into the world this summer, so a tour to promote their art made perfect sense. However, the stakes have never been higher over at Juan Wauters Headquarters, since the Uruguayan born and Queens, NY bred guitarist has a lot more to worry about these days than just lookin’ cool on stage.
It was another hot one in the city as the two piece turned three piece special, Being Dead, kicked off the night shortly after 8 PM. The relatively short drive east from their home base of Austin, TX may have been enough for them to find solace in, given the only fifteen or so pairs of dead eyes that stared back as the taller of the three waved hello.
Helmed by multi-instrumentalists Falcon-Bitch (Juli Keller) and Gumball (Cody Dosier), who both break (banana) bread on guitar, drums, and vocals, while rising stand-up comedian and self proclaimed smoothie enthusiast, Ricky Moto (Nicole R.), (man)handles the bass, the trio have a fun and quirky feel to them, very reminiscent of The Beets, the band that put JPW on the map.
They opened their set with “Muriel’s Big Day Off” from their debut album When Horses Would Run, which was set to release two days after. Surfy, repetitive riffs over vocals that modulate between Gumball and Falcon-Bitch paint a picture of a woman enjoying one of the most treasured things in life, a day off spent shoplifting. Those smart enough to be in attendance settled in at the start of the second song, before a broken string forced the hump day rock show to suddenly shapeshift into an impromptu comedy show, headlined by Being Dead’s very own Ricky Moto.
from Being Dead got jokes – From David C Fox, @txkitsune
From David C Fox, @txkitsune
The show soon shifted back into rock mode only for a second guitar string to break a few songs later. The Rock Gods from below seemed to have had a field day with the lowly weirdos from Austin but they made the most of their luck and finished their set to applause and cheers.
The headliner took the stage shortly after 9:30 PM. With a drum kit now positioned on the far left, facing the audience, a lone stool in the middle, and a keyboard at the ready off right, a sudden shot of light hit center stage as Wauters opened his set with a love letter to his most beloved borough. He then followed up “Woodside, Queens” with “I Was Well,” another song from his critically acclaimed Who Me? released eight years earlier.
A lot can happen in eight years. For Juan, this time was spent experiencing life’s trials and tribulations, all the while expressing himself the only way he knows how, through song. This present year saw the release of his sixth solo album, Wandering Rebel, on another New York institution, Captured Tracks, the Brooklyn based label releasing every one of his projects over his career. Aside from welcoming another album into his vast discography, Wauters also became a father as he and his partner Lucia welcomed a baby girl into the world earlier this year.
From Captured Tracks
That Wednesday as he finished “Guapa” and “Milanesa al Pan” which features Argentine singer and songwriter Zoe Gotusso who, with her almost 700,000 followers on Spotify, is probably someone worth a listen, Wauters popped off his red sweater, only to reveal an equally as red long sleeve button up shirt underneath. “I am sorry for being… under the weather,” he said, one hand on his forehead, “I am not at one hundred percent tonight.”
He slowly paced the stage and lamented the venue’s top of the line air conditioning unit before slipping his sweater back on, and going directly into “Modus Operandi” which features another New York based singer and songwriter, Greta Kline, also known by her long time stage-name Frankie Cosmos. Cosmos and Gotusso now join the long list of friends and artists that have collaborated with Wauters over the years, a list that includes Tall Juan, Mac DeMarco, and the relatively unknown and childhood friend, Marcelo Trias, who just happened to walk back into his life after almost two decades.
From David C Fox, @txkitsune
Another new song, “Millionaire” was followed by the not so new, “Real,” and the less new still, “Sanity Or Not,” which garnered the loudest pop from the two dozen or so fans in attendance. The narrative of an artist struggling to make it is heavy and about as real as real gets, the unadulterated vulnerability in his music being one of the most endearing characteristics to his music.
But as with most good things in life, within minutes the show abruptly ended, as Juan and his band took a bow before they walked off stage. The audience lingered, not ready to face the sweltering heat that awaited them on the other side of the exit door, and soon the space was polluted with chants for “one more song!” The consummate professional, Wauters walked back on stage, grabbing the guitar he lay on the ground some thirty seconds prior.
“Okay, since you all asked so nicely… one more song,” he said, once again standing alone on stage. As any live music aficionado can attest, the few seconds before an encore are some of the most precious seconds on earth, especially with a catalog as varied. Soon, he began to sing “A JPW Theme Song” before repeating the verse again and again, prompting the crowd to join in. The 718/713 collab to end the show left a lot to be desired but the few in attendance did give it their best shot, which was all that mattered.
Weeks ago, Wauters spoke with Manuela López Restrepo of NPR music, and revealed his general unease and unclear image of the future. “The future feels so open and unknown. I don’t know how [my music] will develop in America while being in Uruguay, and I don’t know how it will develop in Latin America,” he told Restrepo, “Maybe I become more of a musician there, and not as much in America anymore.” Tragic to read but completely understandable given the life he has chosen to lead in a world where equity and what is deemed valuable becomes more and more superficial.
But in a perfect world, a bill with Juan Wauters and Being Dead would’ve seen over two hundred chickens in attendance, at least, versus the two dozen that trekked over to North Main St on Wednesday. With his new responsibilities and new found appreciation for stability, no one would blame Juan if he narrowed his approach in the following years, keeping his wandering, and sometimes dangerous (but cool) ways to a minimum. Those of us who know, will know, and will follow Juan Wauters and his eclectic brand of rock n’ roll wherever he happens to wander to next.
Being Dead’s debut album, When Horses Would Run, is available to order now on Bayonet Records, or you can head down to End of an Ear to scoop a copy in person. The newest Juan Wauters gem, Wandering Rebel, is also available now wherever music is sold, and probably also at End of an Ear in Austin, TX.
Do you have a trip to Spain, France, or Germany planned at the end of the year, or maybe just live in Europe and enjoy good music when you hear it? Well, you can catch Juan and his band on a short run of European shows that start on November 1st in Barcelona, Spain.
Tickets for those and any future JPW shows can be found here.
