The usually solemn and quiet band Little Wings energized the cozy, wood Hemlock Tavern Wednesday with a wild jam-band concert.

Kyle Field, the band's songwriter and only consistent member, was joined by headlining band Lake for the set. Two electric guitars, drums, organ, banjo and keyboards combined with Field's bass to create a fuzzy-rock vibe. Then came the high, whimsical vocals to remind the audience of the folk stylings heard on Little Wing's recorded material.

"Thank-you-ev-er-y-bod-y," was how Field introduced the set in a sarcastic nerd voice he would revert back to often in between songs.

Over 50 people crammed the small room once voted San Francisco's "most intimate venue".

"Black Grass" kicked off the show with a three-chord riff that was turned psychedelic from the surrounding mess of instruments. The chorus came suddenly when the band began howling as the bandleader sang the title of the song over and over. With his freewheeling, twangy melodies and huge brown beard, Field was clearly evoking the spirit of Jerry Garcia.

Walking around the stage inebriated and sweaty, he conducted the musicians on stage through dramatic head nods and shouts of "F" and "C" chords. It seemed as if this was one of the first times Lake, who is also on K Records with Little Wings, played with the singer-songwriter.

Each musician took extended solos when they wanted and backup singing would come seemingly out of nowhere. Rather then hinder the songs, the sloppiness gave the music a fresh feel and excitement as each song seemed on the verge of collapse.

The song "Sand Canyon", a tale of his stay at a random stop off a Southern California highway, did just that as Field's stopped before the last two verses.

"Do you guys feel like hearing the rest of the song?" he asked laughing.

The crowd responded and he immediately jumped back in to finish the track. "And we will live as canyon people, forget about what might have been" he sang, fusing his nature imagery and thoughts on relationships, a common thread in many of his songs.

Field, who recently moved to the City, played a set at Café Du Nord on Sunday with 1970's singer-songwriter Kath Bloom. Both shows featured almost entirely new material, though no official upcoming release has been announced. Little Wing's last album was 2007's Soft Pow-r.

The set ended with a new, untitled song that included a minute long bass solo from Field, which he played on his knees. The instrumental break was a perfect statement of the new sound he reached. From the solo to the song's end and even as they walked off stage, every band member had a big smile on their face.

"Thank-you-ev-er-y-bod-y," Field said again.