The Tea Club @ The North Star Bar.

Text and images by Rick Kauffman.

The idea of modern prog-rock typically evokes ideas of spastic vocals, chaotic time signatures and pure guitar wankery – the type of music that tends to confound the listener rather than engage them.

As far as this idea of prog-rock goes, The Tea Club is not.

“You don’t want me to start harping on what my idea of ‘prog-rock’ is,” says guitarist Dan McGowen. “It’s not about playing as fast as you can and shouting shitty vocals, although that’s what most prog-rock sounds like these days.”

The Tea Club, who played at the North Star Bar yesterday, are a local six-man outfit (actually five men and one woman) that channels the likes of prog Gods of old, like Yes and Genesis. But they appeal to listeners with more modern sensibilities.

The supple crooning of singer/ guitarist Pat McGowen (Dan’s brother) accents the group’s three-headed guitar attack. They range from the heavy side of rock and roll to delicate harmonies typically accustomed with classical compositions.

Drummer Joe Rizzolo has no problem keeping up the pace and adding unique fills of his own, while keyboardist Becky Osenecko wispily fills the gaps.

“It’s not that we aim to be more accessible to listeners, because I don’t like that term,” says rhythm guitarist, Jim Berger. “But I think what we’re writing is becoming easier for people to get into.”

The current lineup has taken a much different face than just an album ago, when they were a three-man outfit built around the McGowen brothers.  Now, they’re able to create the textured sounds they desire while retaining tightness and clarity.

After they performed a song from their upcoming 3rd album last night, a fan shouted, “I became a man during that song!”

“It’s when you transform into a woman that you know we’re doing this right,” Pat McGowen quipped with a wry smile.