Meeting the members of Richmond's progressive rock group, 11th House, demands a sense of humor, though listening to their sounds is (or can be) a slightly more serious experience. Rhythm guitarist Matt Sthreshley's real name is 'Golden God.' Andrew Bossola, on bass, is actually 'Bald Eagle.' Don't call Robin Anderson anything but 'The Drummer.' And Hart Dementi? Oh, that's a mere stage name for the lead guitarist. In reality, he's 'North Face,' pronounced in a stereotypical American Indian monotone.

If these aliases seem funky, welcome to 11th House and their gift for fun. With influences like Pink Floyd, Phish, Miles Davis, Ween, and the Richmond legend Solid Gold Fish Bowl, 11th House is earnest about music...but they're endearing smart-asses about everything else.

Born in Richmond, 11th House has existed since 2001. They've jammed at classic RVA venues like Cary Street Café, where I caught them on Friday, January 22, "countless times, " or "a handful of baker's dozens." They've also hit Emilio's, Alley Katz, Pool House, and other standard fare. Once a month for the next four months, they're scheduled to play at Cary Street Café. Then they head to Charlotte, North Carolina's Mayfest. Despite their long resume of Richmond venues, 11th House feels a close tie to Cary Street. It's "pretty unique" and "full of friends."

On that magical Friday evening, 11th House entranced their friends --and strangers-- with off-beat and earthy tunes from their albums First Light and The Grass was Greener. Covers included The Beatles' "Don't Let Me Down" and Ween's "Transdermal Celebration." Matt opened up the night with an amusing greeting: "Tonight we're gonna play some German polka and transcendental music. See, we're big fans of Yani."

In spite of the joke, 11th House's music helped the audience transcend their end-of-week worries. It ripped listeners away from negative work or school-related thoughts and transported their minds to, well, I can only speak for myself when I say a garden full of swaying plants resembling peacock feathers. Evidently I was not the only one lost in vaguely psychedelic fantasies. Two college-age girls decked out in true c. 1969 attire --diaphanous, patterned fabrics done in Pacha Mama tones-- twirled in front of the stage for hours. Working women shed their sweaters and pulsated like excited eels. Even men who would seem perfectly content inside cubicles all day bobbed their heads.

It's not as if the crowd was so excruciatingly polite that they felt compelled to look like they were having a good time. 11th House made it hard not to enjoy the show. They understand the ingredients required for interesting music, mix them up in a big pot, and pass around a heaping spoonful to every audience member.

Songs like "If I Were" with snarky yet thought-provoking lyrics and rolling sounds, force sensory and philosophical participation. "If I Were" sarcastically questions value systems and situational awareness: "If I were Bill Gates / would Gold be good enough? / If I were Kissinger / do you think I really care for you? / If I were a slave underneath Southern sun, / how'd you think I'd sleep tonight? / If I was in the Oval Office / do you think you really voted for me?" At the same time, the beat's strong, and the overall sound evidences nods to jazz and classic rock.

Before all of this blessed Friday-in-January mayhem went down, of course, I roped in the band members, sat them down at a cozy booth, and threw a few queries at them.

When asked how they would describe the Richmond music scene, 11th House's answers ranged from the mocking "We are it" to "Saturated" to a double vote for "Diverse."

"This is the best town for not getting paid," Matt half-joked.

In another stroke of tomfoolery, Hart said straight-faced, "It's the capital of music in Central Virginia."

When 11th House put the jokes on hold for a minute, though, they made important, even poignant points. They all praised the city's live and varied music scene, but wished for more local support.

Matt said, "What I dislike is that [the Richmond scene] is taken for granted."

Andy added, "Yeah, I dislike how people don't make it out. Good bands die."

Their concern obviously does not prevent 11th House from playing, though. Hart summed up the band's common sentiment: "As a musician, I can't not play music...if I go a long time without it, I get irritable."

With music this well-constructed, thank goodness for that.

 

To learn more about 11th House and their hypnotic music, visit www.myspace.com/11thhouse.

 

By Author: Christine Stoddard

Christine Stoddard is a writer and interdisciplinary artist who employs her words in the realms of poetry, prose, film, theatre, collage, and comics. Her art and writing have been published in multiple venues, including literary journals from Grinnell College, Howard University, Virginia Commonwealth University, George Mason University, and the University of Arkansas, as well as in books by Candlewick Press and Sabella Press. Christine has also won recognition from USA Today, The Poetry Society of Virginia, The Washington Post, the Virginia Cable Telecommunications Association, the International Cinematographer's Guild, and other companies and organizations. Her 'zines also appear in the permanent collections of Barnard College and Depaul University. Previously, Christine has interned for several arts and media companies, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum and The Washington Post. Christine is also the founder of the Greater Washington Indie Arts Festival (formerly the Neo-Indie Arts Festival). Currently she is studying Cinema (film studies and production) and English with minors in Creative Writing and French at VCU Arts in Richmond, VA. To learn more about Christine and her creative projects, visit christinestoddard.com.

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