Obviously most current music talk is centered around the various festivals we had over the weekend; however, I'd like to quickly mention a show I saw on a whim last night that took me completely by surprise.

Fishtank Ensemble, with opener Luminescent Orchestrii was one of the best shows of the year, hands down.

Fusion gypsy music, played with unbelievable virtuosity on odd acoustic instrumentation and the energy of punk and rockabilly-- that's the best I can muster in words. Check out the Isthmus listing for more details. I am not exaggerating when I say my jaw dropped in astonishment multiple times that evening. Oh, and there was belly dancing.

While it was a Monday night after the biggest music festival weekend of the year, turnout was still decent, and the audience loved it. The end of the night saw both bands jam together on and around the High Noon bar, with plenty of clapping and dancing.

Not to be missed the next time they come around!

(No, I'm not involved with the bands, venue, or the Isthmus-- just a satisfied new fan.)