Rare Futures & Gavin Castleton
If concept albums are a dicey proposition in the age of digital singles, then a thematic mini-rock opera built from cover tunes may seem the height of commercial folly. Try telling that to Rare Futures & Gavin Castleton when they team up to perform FutureCastle at Soda Bar on May 20. Castleton, best known as keyboardist/backing vocalist for the Dear Hunter, is no stranger to oddball covers and comedy rock (his 2016 EP The Punchline includes a song about President Trump being hunted by the Predator). For FutureCastle, he’s backed by alt-rockers Rare Futures (formerly known as Happy Body Slow Brain) for reinterpretations of songs by Sade, Chicago, Hall and Oats, and Tears for Fears, mashed into a space-age boudoir-themed narrative. Think Rush’s 2112 as if performed by Chumbawamba.