Brick and Mortar’s monthly series Wood Shoppe is always a hit – a free show on the first Tuesday of each month, cheap beer, good company, and of course a consistently stellar lineup of up-and-coming bands. What’s not to love? The most recent Wood Shoppe show was no exception. In fact, with Pure Bathing Culture headlining, it was one of the best nights of the Wood Shoppe series I’ve been to.

It’s pretty typical of Wood Shoppe to have a finger on the pulse, but for this show they really hit it out of the park. Cannons & Clouds opened the show, followed by local rock band Cocktails, who grunged things up a bit as the crowd packed in the room. A big audience is good, but not being able to move my arms isn’t – luckily Tuesday night’s crowd was thick enough to feel the excitement in the air, and thin enough to actually walk to the bar and back in less than ten minutes.

Portland via Brooklyn’s pop band Pure Bathing Culture stole the show with their mellow vibe. It’s far from dream pop – clear as a warm ocean tide (or maybe a bath?) and reminiscent Fleetwood Mac, re-envisioned for 2013.

Core duo and songwriters Sarah Versprille and Daniel Hindman were joined by Zach Tillman (Josh Tillman aka Father John Misty’s lil bro – fun fact) on bass and Brian Wright on drums. Versprille’s airy, warm vocals struck the emotion of the cusp of summer – especially on “Pendulum”, the first single from the band’s forthcoming LP Moon Tides, out via Memphis Industries on August 20th. It’s a song that sat with me long after I left the show, as I curled up into bed and the crystal clear guitars still echoed in my mind’s ear. I slept as if spiritually cleansed.