PRESS :: Review Gist's 'Diesel'-Fueled Stomp Revs Up DC9 Washington Post, Friday, January 13, 2006 "Diesel City," the latest album by Gist, finds the local trio stretching out its songs, which draw on the lyrical side of the rock variously termed punk, alt or indie. But the group, shoehorned into a four-band bill Wednesday night at DC9, was allowed only a 35-minute set. Wisely, singer-guitarist Nayan Bhula and his cohorts didn't try to stuff too much into their allotted time. They performed seven songs, mostly from "Diesel City" but including two newer compositions. The only one that sounded rushed was "On the Road," the album's long-form boogie showcase. Gist certainly didn't come on as a 1970s boogie-rock band. Its music, wardrobe and demeanor were all classic indie, revealing little concern for showmanship (although bassist and secondary singer Finley Martin had a few moves). Bhula sang such tunes as "Asunder" and "Eclipse" in a high tenor, usually leaning into his low-slung microphone but pulling away for louder outbursts. His guitar playing was not virtuosic, but it was versatile, encompassing punky power chords, folk-rock jingle and noisy single-string solos. As a trio, Gist can't let any of its members coast, and Bhula, Martin and drummer Fred Burton each took the lead at times. The audience can be a major presence at an intimate club such as DC9, and at this gig the enthusiastic listeners fed the band's energy. By the time one fan hijacked Bhula's mike to sing the chorus of "Eclipse," the crowd had become the fourth Gist. – Mark Jenkins