Meghan Helms
Reporter

Five bearded men carrying covered drums, guitars and a keyboard walked through a small crowd patiently waiting in the large room covered in posters and other music memorabilia that is Amoeba Music.

After a 45-minute delay, customers slowly made their way through rows of CDs and vinyl to the blue corner stage where Phosphorescent was pulling sound check together with one of their most popular songs, “At Death, a Proclamation.”

Phosphorescent promoted its new album, To Willie, by playing six songs to a crowd of about 70 people consisting of young couples and a few children fitted with pink and green fluorescent earplugs at Amoeba Music on March 13.

To Willie features interpretations of some of the bands favorite songs by American country singer-songwriter, actor, activist and author Willie Nelson.

The band started off swaying around awkwardly onstage, having just gotten off the highway and were still shaking off carsickness and the weariness of travel.

There was a comical edge to the performance. Lead Matthew Houck was confused when engaging with the crowd as to where and when his band was playing next — relying on the crowd to provide the missing information.

Despite the low scale atmosphere of the event, shelves closest to the stage rocked as the band played the last song.
The performance had the desired effect prompting members of the crowd to disperse to buy the album at the multiple cash registers in the store and come back to have members of the band sign newly purchased copies of the album.

Phosphorescent didn’t seem bothered by its tight schedule, hanging around onstage instead of running off to its next gig at the Café Du Nord, right after its short performance at Amoeba Music, where a majority of the crowd was following to see the band perform with The Donkeys later that night.

Phosphoroscent’s music is available on iTunes and select music stores. For more information visit http://www.myspace.com/phosphorescent .