Ages and Ages

Doug Fir Lounge, MFNW. After I saw them at Bumbershoot last Sunday, I said that the music of this Portland seven-person band sounded so sincere and sweet and life affirming that they allowed you to drop any cynicism or pretence, and just enjoy their wonderful, transportive music. That's much harder to pull off in a bar, sandwiched between a band that just lost the audience and an eagerly anticipated headliner, but Ages and Ages managed to pull off just that. It's hard to ignore seven young people on stage singing in unison and clapping their hands, especially when it seems like a full half of the audience includes the band among their favorites. A harder rocking set than before, as was necessary given the setting, showing that the band's a lot more than a 21st Century version of "Up With People."