Jail Weddings were awesome to behold.

The hodgepodge of musicians calling themselves by a single name numbered ten on stage by my count. Their energetic singer, no — carnival crooner, used every inch of what precious little was left of the space. Girl singers pranced, coaxed, and enchanted. There was a saxaphone? Sure. And a violin. The music produced was like David Byrne’s late 50s to early 60s wet dream, a new take on the oldies pop standard sound that both excited and inspired. Or maybe it was a B52s orchestral sock hop. Or the best way to describe it: it was Jail Weddings.

I can’t exactly tell you everything I saw or heard. Having seen Jail Weddings play only once is sort of like sitting in the front row of an IMAX theatre when you see a movie for the first time; just as one can not see the entire screen in their field of vision, I could not hear every sound being made. It was almost too much — though too much of a good thing is simply a very good thing in my book.

That, Classical Geek Thespians, that thing I saw at The Echo last night? That is how you do a large ensemble group. Though in no way sonic cousings, Jail Weddings reminded me of what there is to like about bands like The Arcade Fire or DeVotchKa. I’ll be somewhere between Portland and Crater Lake next Monday. But as far as you, the reader is concerned, there is one option for the final Monday of the month and it is The Echo.