I’ve always thought that The Pharmacy were a band that could bring on the party, so seeing them at the Capitol Hill Block Party on the all-ages Vera Stage seemed like a perfect idea to break through the afternoon lull.
The band was not deterred by the fact they were playing with a temporary drummer — word is that their drummer was in Mexico (I’ve learned not to ask any questions when someone says “our drummer is in Mexico and can’t play a show with us”). They found their friend Kellen (?) to fill in — and he did so wonderfully after only two and a half hours of practice. Go team Pharmacy!
Right after they finished playing my favorite song of the set, “Tropical Yeti Song,” they broke out into banter. And when I say THEY broke out into banter, I mean that three of the four members all started talking at the same time. This multi-aural barrage perfectly illustrates what it is like to see the Pharmacy. Any sense of disorder is actually a controlled substance… one of earnestness, energy, and unabashed alacrity that had the audience dancing to their every jagged guitar strum in no time.
Their assured naïveté is disarming and beguiling. Of course, they sprinkled tracks from their debut album B.F.F. and recent single releases, but also surprised us with an unrestrained cover of The Beatles’ classic “Don’t Let Me Down.” Sure it wasn’t the most by-the-book version, but that’s why I like about the Pharmacy — they add a little bit of mayhem to the everyday.
More Pharmacy photos from Capitol Hill Block Party 2007 (by Chona Kasinger):
