The Crux leave their folk-punk imprint on SF

By Gina Lopez //

The Crux //
Great American Music Hall – San Francisco
August 13th, 2016 //

Crux Interpretum. How does one interpret the music of The Crux?

One might call it folk punk with a diverse array of musical elements, including the wandering spirit of gypsy, the rowdiness pirate, the unabashed soul of gospel, the fascinating rhythm of jazz, the rawness of blues and the heart of klezmer.

Hailing from Santa Rosa, Calif., 55 miles north of the City, The Crux reach deep into musical history, reinvigorating and reinterpreting these musical traditions for our time and place with colorful lyrics that paint a fable, tell a riddle and leave you wondering how you interpret your own human experience. Last Saturday at the gorgeous Great American Music Hall, they held their album release show for their latest LP Crux Interpretum, which is a compilation of their Crux Interpretum cassette trilogy that they released between 2014 and 2015.

The Crux never cease to surprise and delight audiences, as frontman Josh Windmiller and his band are always willing to go the extra mile to entertain, even if it means coming on stage in their skivvies. After lively opening sets from fellow North Bay bands Lungs & Limbs and The Dixie Giants, The Crux began their set as the evening’s headliner with an instrumental tune, sans Windmiller.

Suddenly, Windmiller burst out of a cardboard box that had been placed right in the center of the stage. With that whirlwind energy, handmade props (true to The Crux’s style), spectacular stage lighting and a dynamic stage presence from every musician onstage, the show dazzled the audience, leaving them begging for “one more song.” With a well-timed costume change into their post-performance attire of robes and boxers, the discalced band members returned to the stage for a memorable finale.

And thus, the recent recipient of the 2016 North Bay Bohemian NorBays Music Award for best folk/acoustic band headed back home, across the Golden Gate Bridge, leaving their folk-punk imprint on the heart of SF.