Ex-Grandaddy mastermind and current Montana mainstay Jason Lytle played an intimate show at the Casbah for a modest crowd on a late October night. Though there were probably 30 or so heads at the club, Lytle made sure to thank everyone for showing up. He then went on to gripe about his show the night before. "I feel like we're playing a stadium right now," Lytle joked. "We played a show last night in Santa Barbara and there were eight people there. Eight people. I've been doing this shit for a while now, and I don't really like to leave home... Eight people?"

So, shame on you Santa Barbara — and San Diego, too, for that matter. This show should have been sold out with a talent like Lytle in town. How quickly the masses forget that Grandaddy was once touted as America's answer to Radiohead and, for many of us, a more pleasing option altogether. Oh, whelp.

For this show, it was just Lytle and his trusted multi-instrumentalist sidekick Rusty. Lytle multitasked, switching between keys, synths, triggered beats, and acoustic guitar — often on the same track. Rusty kicked in with occasional keys, backing vocals, and some choice lead guitar.

Fans of Lytle's solo output and his years with Grandaddy were treated well via a set list that covered every era of Lytle's career. Grandaddy was represented by "El Caminos in the West" and "I'm on Standby," both of which achieved new levels of stripped-down beauty due to the duo’s sparse instrumentation. The irresistible "Hangtown" and a somewhat botched — to comedic effect, I might add — "Dept. of Disappearance" represented the new album well. But, the ultimate victor of the night was "Ghost of My Old Dog," from Lytle's first solo album, Yours Truly, The Commuter. "Ghost of My Old Dog" balances heartfelt, Neil Young acoustic tendencies with tiny hints of Pavement bleeps, blurps, and silliness, and like much of Lytle's output, it would be a classic if it had actually reached the masses.

• Concert: Jason Lytle
• Date: October 22
• Venue: Casbah
• Seats: General