You know that look that people get at shows? When you glance at the kid next to you in the crowd and he's got his eyes closed, completely blissed out? We call that particular expression "having a moment," as in "Everywhere I looked at Yeasayer, there was some bearded guy having a moment." Well, last night at the Croc, That Guy was Patrick Watson. Playing with his band The Wooden Arms, Watson delivered a set completely in line with his beguiling new album of the same name. There he was, with his Nick Drake voice and his eyes wide shut, making some lovely music and having a moment all night long. On the keyboard? Having a moment. Singing into a megaphone and using a plunger as a mute? Having a moment (see above). Doing his encore in the midst of the crowd, amplified by only a handmade megaphone tree strapped to his back? Having a moment. And so were we. Come back soon, Patrick. more ›

Patrick Watson is no mere man; with his band The Wooden Arms (also the name of his new album, out last week), he's a rag-tag music machine. Using piano, guitars, ukulele, cello, violin, and horns alongside even more unconventional instrumentation such as bicycle parts and wine bottles, the Montreal-based artist gets comparisons to Andrew Bird, Jeff Buckley, and Sufjan Stevens. It's weird and wonderful stuff--chamber pop compositions by M. Ward's eccentric uncle--and it grabbed us immediately. more ›