The Wapsipinicon celebrated the release of their debut album San Geronimo with a CD Release Party at the Kitty Cat Klub Saturday night, and though I had heard the record and even seen the band perform live at least once in the past, I was unprepared for the energetic and powerful show I witnessed on that small stage in Dinktytown. Even breaking a string early in the set did not deter Sean Neary, the creative force behind the group which takes their name from a tributary of the Mississippi River in Northeastern Iowa, from presenting an incredible set, which I proclaimed a success right from the first song, a song which doesn’t even appear on the CD.
The Wapsipinicon is comprised of what can easily be called a veritable supergroup of Twin Cities musicians including Arlen Peiffer (Cloud Cult, Dewi Sant), Adam Svec (The Glad Version), Ted Held (Wizards Are Real, Dewi Sant), Scott Hefte (Seymore Saves the World), and of course Sean Neary (Cloud Cult, The Glad Version, and formerly of Tapes ‘N Tapes.)Â They are without a doubt a band to watch in 2010.
The ubiquitous photographer Meredith Westin captured many great shots of this show, but the one I selected for this week’s Photo of the Week is from the final song of the evening where Neary set down his guitar and picked up the accordion. In the background, is the wonderfually maniacal Arlen Peiffer.
See Meredith’s complete set of photos from this show on her blog here.