I wasn’t paying too much attention and then realized that VAST (site, wiki) was playing at the Continental Club last night only hours before it happened. I quite like the one album I have of this band – which is mostly a studio project – so I had to go to check them out.

I have only their first album from 1998, and would expect them to play a much larger place from the large sound on the recordings. There was definitely an odd crowd for the CC.

There were two opening bands, the stage was way overcrowded. I forget the first band’s name, it should have been the Toe Gazers. Uninteresting music executed barely competently. The second band was Po1nt (pronounced “point 1″) – they were a giant Seattle band. That is to say not metaphorical musical giants, but 6’3″ to 6’6” musicians. The singer was sometimes the screamer, the guitar player an aging shredder, and the bass player had an uber meatty sound but redeemed the vocals of the band with his backing vocals. You could hear the Seattle in their influences.

VAST was very good, Jon Crosby a bit moody, typical musician. Sometimes they played over a minor supporting track, but it was mostly guitar, guitar, bass with a violin joining them for a few. Their two-month, 50 date tour ends tomorrow in Austin.