The Feelies played The Sinclair – 9/16

Long-running New Jersey rockers The Feelies stopped by The Sinclair earlier this month on one of their now-yearly East Coast tours. 

The Feelies have always been unassuming. Formed in 1976 and reunited in 2008 following a 16-year hiatus, the quintet has honed a jangly, Velvet Underground-inspired sound that manifests the sound of anxious introversion. That the first song on their 1980 debut is called “The Boy with the Perpetual Nervousness” is telling of the style of music they’d make henceforth. Thirty-six years later, they’re as reserved as ever.

Foregoing an opening act, the band took the stage just after 9 on this Friday night for an “evening with…” style performance. The show was light on banter, but delivered a rich two-set, multi-encore survey of The Feelies’ five studio records and extensive repertoire of covers. Wistful strummers from The Good Earth and 2011 reunion effort Here Before slotted next to Crazy Rhythms‘ electrified cuts with ease, and the night’s excellent selection of other people’s tunes ranged from the Velvets (“I Can’t Stand It”) to Television (“See No Evil”), Wire (“Outdoor Miner”), The Modern Lovers (“Astral Plane”) and beyond.

There are plenty of musical advantages to living on the East Coast, and the promise of a yearly Feelies show like this one is surely one of them. Wary of the hassles of extensive continental and international touring, The Feelies simply don’t bother with it. If you happen to live within a reasonable driving distance of the band’s native Jersey, however, a fall club show in a city near you has become a reliable bet in recent years. I’d missed the last several in Boston and was quite pleased to catch this one. Photos below.