Live Reviews

Music seen: The Goodnight Process

The Goodnight Process, February 28, at Geno's

By CHAD CHAMBERLAIN | March 4, 2009

It is always a gamble when an all-ages band like The Goodnight Process wager their local draw in a 21+ venue like Geno's. Portland's 21+ crowd can be tough to win over, and it does not help that younger, all-ages bands gauge the value of their set by the size and enthusiasm of the crowd. It's a difficult first step every band in their position should make, and The Goodnight Process managed to demonstrate their talent and knack for writing catchy pop songs, despite a small turnout.

Dean Ford fronts the group with an acoustic guitar, dressed in skinny jeans and a necktie. His quiet offstage demeanor quickly subsides in favor of the natural-born performer within — Dean might be one of Portland's best rock vocalists. Bassist Dan Patterson is the latest addition to the lineup, and he provides smart, creative licks that bring more life to the pop-driven set. Lead guitarist Dan Capaldi supplies sweet and simple harmonic embellishments that hover above the vocal melodies. Together, they blend elements of the Kooks, Sondre Lerche, and Jason Mraz.

Overall, the band struggled with poor sound quality and scant attendance. Yet, through this, their talent and promise were evident. On their MySpace page, www.myspace.com/thegoodnightprocess, you can hear tracks recorded two years ago — their improvements are easy to hear in a live show. I would like to see them get a slot on a better 21+ bill now that they have trudged through the wilderness of their first bar show. For Dean and his band, it could turn out to be a coming-of-age story along the lines of Fitzgerald's This Side of Paradise.

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Topics: Live Reviews , Jason Mraz, Sondre Lerche, The Kooks, More

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