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by chris earnhart (Pocket) - Apr 01, 2005
OpeningBands Benefit - Show Review (Note: ordinarily, this would have gone up on the front page shortly after the show, but as the band of the month, Relenter, was playing, we decided to wait and put it up with the rest of the Relenter content.) As you may or may not have heard (meaning you either did or you didn't...), Openingbands had a benefit show on March 17. I decided that as the president, only my unbiased opinion would suffice in covering what we in the business refer to as "the scoop." Well, on with the show! The Opportunists took the stage first. They were already set up, as I had foolishly chosen to walk, and so made it to the concert late. But their two drums and two guitarists went wailing away in a flurry of punk, semi-punk, and indie songs, interrupted with the occasional social commentary. They definitely pulled at my punk heartstrings, but I think the abrasive vocals might be too much for some. High energy and two drummers, that's The Opportunists. Next was this month's band of the month, Relenter (make sure you check out their interview and album reviews). Relenter has really fleshed out their music and made it faster, and they showed that on stage. With a keyboard, guitar, and drums, they make rock'n'roll with haunting vocals. It was a great set and showed why their latest album, Through the Mirror, is worth checking out. The highlight of their set, for me, was hearing "Bombshell" live. JigGsaw set up quickly, and the show went on. Their mixture of power-pop and straight rock was fun, as always. They played hard and fast, and the front crowd sang along to "Holly Brown," which may have been my highlight of the night. It's one of those catchy, fun songs that you like getting stuck in your head, and it was a fun set. If you like rock with some punk influences, then head out to one of their other shows. Fourth came The Greedy Loves, a surprise hit with many who had not heard them before, and an old great for those who had. Let me give you a tip: check out their website. It's funny. I'll say that they are a kick-ass new school rock band. But don't take my word for it, read for yourself...errm, on their website, where you can download pretty much any song they played at the show. You might notice that they are really cool. As the crowd fluctuated, the music changed with i:scintilla's electronic, drum machine rock. These guys really get into their music. A darker sound pervades, even in the vocals of lead singer, Brittany. They compose their songs very well, with great guitars and background tracks. And, while the music is haunting at times, it builds into heavy rock. This is one of those bands where I can really feel the music, and I think it's because they do too. And last but not least (as they say on your planet) came Terminus Victor. You know a good band when the bass makes your heart skip a beat, and it isn't because you are feeling sentimental. They played almost all new songs, which will all be on their upcoming album, Under Surveillance. The music was as good and as hard as always, and I was hoping for a headstand or kicked head, but ended up okay with a headache from rocking out (the feel good kind). All in all, it was a great night. Thanks to everyone who came out to support local music, and thanks to all the bands who gave up their nights to help us out. I hope you had fun, because I know I did. And seeing six bands in a row makes me look forward to the upcoming Band Jam (which The Greedy Loves, i:scintilla, and Terminus Victor will be playing). See you there! |