You might think of Sonoko Inoue as just a folksy singer-songwriter type artist, but her Friday night Orange Echo band set put that misconception definitively to bed. She started the set with an instrumental heavy bluesy rock anthem, full of distorted guitars and angst. Not just cafe singer-songwriter fare. This set the mood for an eclectic set, one where you never really knew where things were headed in the best possible way. And boy-oh-boy did she handle that guitar like a monster.

While keeping one foot firmly planted in bluesy Americana, the set was as far from predictable as one could get. A little dub? Sure, why not. A little folk? Go for it! Be experimental! But make sure it all lands back somewhere as bluesy as a swamp gator. It felt a little bit like an anointed one picking up Haruomi Hosono’s rootsy Americana baton and running with it for the next generation.

Inoue herself handled her guitar with the sure, smooth hand of a seasoned professional, counterpointing it with sweet and playful but far from childish vocals. Her and her band allowed enough space around the folksy roots of her songs to create something truly unique.

It was a hard set to put into words. So go find a show of hers and listen to it instead.