The “curse of knowledge” is an interesting concept. It stems from the idea that we tend to assume that others have the same knowledge that we do. It can make us forget that we are individuals with unique experiences that shape our tastes and preferences. This can hold true for music as well. For example, I love the band Guster… actually they might be my favorite band. They were a formative part of my late teens, helped me move away from radio music, and carried me into an alternative scene in college. But if you did not attend university in the Northeast between 1994-2011, you might have never heard of them. This was made very apparent to me when I struggled to find a SoCal fan/companion to accompany me to their concert at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles.
Guster may feel obscure to some, but they have nine studio albums spanning three decades, with their number one song on Spotify, “Satellite,” boasting over 44 million streams. They headline a summer festival every August in Portland, Maine, called “Guster on the Ocean.” And their music has been featured in smash hits like Wedding Crashers and The O.C. Additionally, cultural tastemakers like Kesha and Anna Kendrick have shared their long-time fandom of the band.
When I found my fellow East Coaster to join me for their Los Angeles performance, we were shocked that they were sandwiched between Fastball and Barenaked Ladies. Our favorite band!? Surely this can’t be! And while we were only graced with their music for 43 minutes, it was a real joy to hear them live.
Guster opened up their song “Ramona”, followed by their biggest hit “Satellite”, and then moved on to “Happier.” Frontman Ryan Miller has a clear, bright voice with perfect pitch. He is complemented gorgeously by Adam Gardner, who offers harmonies and competing lyrics as their two voices weave in and out of each other. Luke Reynolds plays the piano; and let’s not forget Brian Rosenworcel (His fans call him the Thunder God), a drummer that he only uses his hands—which is wild to see live, he looks so freaking happy!
Miller takes time in between songs to crack jokes about the cost of beer, parking, and real estate in Los Angeles. He has a snappy, witty delivery that tickles and delights the crowd before the next song begins. At one point, Miller walked into the crowd with the cord of his microphone in tow. By the time he was well into the crowd, the cord was draped over the pit and the first sections of seats. Fans were kind enough not to yank, and passed the long wire overhead as Miller moved through the bleachers, hugging and high-fiving fans.
Guster also played “Come Downstairs and Say Hello,” a song with a beautiful slow build and a great payoff. The song boasts a fan favorite lyric, “Be calm, be brave, it’ll be ok.” They also played old favorites, “One Man Wrecking Machine,” “Barrel of a Gun,” and “Do You Love Me.” For us superfans, dancing and singing from our seats for 43 minutes was not enough time, but we are thankful for what we got.
There is a lounge at the Greek called “The Redwood Deck.” It is a beautifully lit outdoor space with a private bar and a viewing screen of the main stage, and the hangout spot for the artists who are currently off-stage. We were fortunate enough to get a wristband and were able to have a chat with the frontman himself!
In speaking with Ryan Miller, you get the sense of a real-life rockstar. He is interesting because he is interested. In speaking with him, he asks questions, brings others into the conversation, and offers a lot of laughter. He shares his gratitude for balancing a family and making music with people that he loves.
Miller is fairly certain that Taylor Swift is also a fan of Guster, or is at least aware of them as a band in reference to their “We Also Have Eras” Tour, which ran concurrently with her global tour. But the conversation takes a pause when Rosenworcel steps back on stage to play the bongos with the Barenaked Ladies. Miller takes a moment to enjoy the performance of his longtime bandmate.
“He looks like a trip,” I say.
Miller laughs at this and shares a knowing glance.
Miller returned to the stage to join Barenaked Ladies to close out the night with a cover of “Summer of ’69” for the final encore. A great night for sure!
Guster is finishing up their American tour with the Barenaked Ladies but will be picking it up again with The Mountain Goats. Details for their tour and festival can be found here.
For a review of their most recent album, Ooh La La, check here. And if you’re not familiar with Guster, here’s a great place to start with their music.
The Indy Review 
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