While I was in Milwaukee checking out My Morning Jacket (review coming soon), MoB contributor Travis headed over to catch the great bill of The Lovely Feathers and The Slip at Cafe Montmartre. Here’s his report:

The Lovely Feathers 2006 debut, Hind Hind Legs, on Equator Records] is pop similar to The Hold Steady, a little more dance than Tapes ‘n Tapes, slightly less rock than The M’s, Oxford Collapse, and The Stills. They opened the show on Tuesday night at Cafe Montmartre not really the ideal venue for the group. The crowd sat at their tables along the wall, sipping wine. No matter how hard the band tried, it couldn’t get people on their feet [well, most people]. Their newest track, hopefully on the My Best Friend Daniel EP [out in the U.S. Dec. 12], was their most substantial song. It felt more developed, sophisticated, mature. I hope the band continues to move in that direction.

Between sets, the crowd changed entirely. The room filled with old fans who huddled at the front of the stage and knew every word. I was relatively unfamiliar with The Slip before the show. A friend mentioned they were “hippie jam.” I don’t think the rumor fits, at least not their new work. While they were much more relaxed than The Lovely Feathers, and a few songs certainly lasted long enough to be “jams,” they didn’t have a granola feel. It was jazzy rock, no electronics. Ironically, the crowd was so into their show, they could have upped the energy, but chose to stay low-key. The Slip is touring in front of the new release, Eisenhower, on Bar/None Records.