Hypnotic Califone

Califone's show at the Soda Bar fell on a Sunday night, five days after New Year's Eve. The event was a mellow "last hurrah" for the holiday season. A subtle transition into the standard workweeks of 2014 or, as Califone frontman Tim Rutili put it, "When Obamacare starts, all the holidays will come to an end."

The four-piece worked its way through many of the songs from last fall's Stitches. The slide guitar-driven "Movie Music Kills a Kiss" was an early highlight. The song plays on the usual strengths of the band — a simple chord structure rooted in a firm groove, which is complimented by heartfelt lyrics and doused in enough electronic atmospherics to hypnotize the listener. This was the game plan for the evening. Nothing got too heavy, but everything, no matter how mellow, kept the crowd engaged.

• Concert: Califone
• Date: January 5
• Venue: Soda Bar
• Seats: Floor