Out of the Garage: Holly Golightly

Map It:  U Street-Cardozo 

"I DON'T THINK we've had an awful show, though we've had some unusual shows — have you ever been to Omaha?" British singer-songwriter Holly Golightly asked ironically.

Golightly and bandmate Lawyer Dave of The Brokeoffs have spent the past month and a half touring the United States, playing towns many bands avoid (Golightly added Fargo, N.D., to the ranks of Omaha, Neb.).

The duo is touring in support of its album "You Can't Buy a Gun If You're Crying," a simple two-person affair that features bluesy, folk-inspired tunes with wry lyrics and a bit of humor.

Though Golightly first made her name with the Billy Childish spinoff Thee Headcoatees, an all-girl garage band, Golightly's solo work and her collaboration with Dave take on a different spin.

"[Earlier fans] most likely wouldn't be that interested in the stuff I've done since I was in that band," she said. "It's not purely garage music — it isn't purely anything, really."

Naturally, the transition from a garage band to a folk duo would present some changes at a live performance. But twosome takes everything a step further as Dave takes on simultaneous vocal, guitar and drum duties.

"The record we did was just the two of us and he just came up with this idea," Golightly said. Bringing along an additional musician to ease the demands "would be an extra person and we didn't see the point of it. We wanted to do it just the two of us. It's one extra mouth to feed, one extra person to get up in the morning."

To pull off his triple duty, Dave had to do some tinkering. He came up with a contraption that allows him to play drums with just his feet, leaving the upper body for the guitar and singing.

"It's quite unusual," Golightly said. "It's homemade. It does create quite a stir when you first arrive and set up. The sound guy is quite interested in it and then gradually everyone comes over and has a look at it."

"It's very simple," Dave said. "It's a kick and a snare and a high hat and a cowbell, and sometimes a ride. It's just rigged with standard drum petals," and he explained that the heel and toe of each foot are used to play its different parts.

Golightly said people who can't see the stage often think it's a drum machine.

"You get a lot of weird questions at the end of shows and people really, really seem to like it," Dave said. "They always want to know where you can buy one, so when the patent comes through for it, I'll be selling that. That's where the real money will be, I reckon," he remarked drily.

» DC9, 1940 9th St. NW; with The Brokeoffs and The Starlingtons, Wed., 8:30 p.m., $12; 202-483-5000. (U St.-Cardozo)

Written by Express contributor Katherine Silkaitis

Photos by Alison Wonderland