Dustin Switzer

During this harried season of panicky super-mega sales and stressed-out shoppers blindly grabbing things off store shelves, unexpected presents seem to pop up all over the place. Gifts picked out at the last minute can range from the bizarre to the delightful, and this past Tuesday night at Slainte (formerly Murray's) in Wilkes-Barre, a performance by The Let Go definitely fell into the latter category.
Rock-, jazz-, and bluegrass-inspired, these skillful musicians displayed their own creations and covered everything from the Dave Matthews Band and The Police to Buffalo Springfield and Jeff Buckley. Charming requests out of the crowd is also part of The Let Go's shows. Favorites like Nirvana and Pearl Jam are generously doled out, forming a cozy rapport between audience and performers.
The Let Go is a loose, semi-collective conceived by Dustin Switzer (guitar/vocals), Dylan Skursky (stand-up bass), and drummer James Naylor. But, claimed Switzer in a pre-show chat, "Some nights we'll have five, six of us up there - whoever wants to come out and play. We really just want to have a blast and support our fellow players in the area."
This "open-door policy" has allowed The Let Go to perform with members of The Five Percent, The Can't Help Its, Panacea, Music for Models, Rippletree Effect, and Juniper Tree, among other musical movers and shakers. ("Countless others on countless instruments" boasts its mySpace page).But this Tuesday night featured only Switzer and Skursky (sans drummer Naylor), but the duo lacked for nothing as they rollicked through two energetic late-night sets with obvious pleasure.
At first, Switzer seemed reluctant to commence the evening's music. However, after some coaxing from a few regulars, Switzer beamed, clutched his guitar, and started off the first set with some solo work, showcasing his impressive vocal range with the layered-yet-easygoing "..41" by DMB. Falling right in behind him was Skursky, following flawlessly on his cherry-colored bass, and with just a hint of a grin on his face. The two followed with another Matthews tune, the holiday-inspired "Christmas Song," on which Switzer matched Matthews' caterwauling vocal style with a hint of his own, more bass-filled tones. The two went gracefully from Dave to a unique, minor-sounding take on Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes" and then drifted down with a few verses of Buffalo Springfield's "For What it's Worth." This classic-rock merger formed a cute medley that perked up the bar's clientele.
Skursky then brought out his bow, and the two set off on a journey of original stuff: the bluegrass-flavored "Revelation" (featured on the forthcoming Scranton City Limits compilation), a mellowed-out, Allman Brothers-esque groove mysteriously called "Song About Fish," and then something Switzer called "My John Mayer Song", a floating ballad with sensual lyrics that were actually better than Mayer's usual pop ramblings. Skursky's bow work added depth and thickness to these works, allowing both musicians to fill the cavern-like acoustics in the bar quickly. Nods, smirks, and whispers blithely transpired between the musicians, conveying a mirthful chemistry that was fun to watch. The boys progressed through the set with skill and smiles, and when it was time for a break Switzer quipped: "Wait 'til we get tuned."
The second half of Switzer and Skursky's own little Tuesday-night music club continued with just as much energy. They proved up to the task of a more unusual request, starting into a rollicking, jangling, high-speed send-up of Nine Inch Nails' creeping, languid hit "Closer." This led the two now-sweaty musicians to a bridge of dueling bow and lead guitar in Roberta Flack's "Killing Me Softly". Despite the smattering of applause and shouts for more requests, The Let Go revealed some rare gems. John Prine's "Angel from Montgomery" was a treat to hear, done with all the longing and bittersweet ness Bonnie Raitt once gave the tune.
This ever-evolving group of sharp music-makers can be found every Tuesday at Slainte, and their breezy attitude and dexterous workmanship are guaranteed to cheer. Before the rash of unforeseen and unwanted gifts make their way to under the tree, it's well worth the effort to scoot out into the chilly air and allow The Let Go to provide that sparkly, last-minute bonus that everyone can use.
-----------Sarah Stachura, Electric City/Diamond City - Electric City