Kevin Bronson on April 17th, 2011

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Who: The Henry Clay People in the Mojave Tent
In 3 or Fewer Words: Guided by brothers.
I’ll Remember This Until: The next time I hear “Born to Run” covered. Silver Lake favorites the Henry Clay People might be the band most likely to win a bar brawl on pub trivia night, but their clever, spiky classic rock remains a tough sell in a time irony is more of a fashion accessory than way of making an actual statement. Which doesn’t mean brothers Joey and Andy Siara and bandmates won’t try to sell you on it – ripping guitars, rollicking pianos, shout-sung couplets and all. The L.A. favorites’ hard-hitting, caterwauling set to a light early-afternoon crowd was typically sharp and rapier-witted, their anecdotes about working part time, friends’ bands and general twentysomething angst teetering between middle-class rage and sad-sack frustration. Sometimes, to the Henry Clays’ detriment, those stories come off as inside jokes between bandmates, but it doesn’t take a great leap of faith to relate – relationships are fragile, cynicism kills, hope occasionally appears at the bottom of a Tallboy. Or, for that matter, to like the agitated pop the quintet uses to carry its messages. They closed their Coachella set Saturday in the most un-hip way ever, by covering the most obvious Springsteen song ever. Two late arrivals were scurrying into the tent, and one guy asked his buddy, “Is this for real?” They were both smiling.
What I’d Tell My Friends Who Were at the Joy Formidable: Head-butting brothers, guitar-bashing blondes: What’s the difference?
– K.B.
Photos by Bronson