Performer Magazine review of the Demonaut show that occured here on June 18th, 2011

Hey everyone,

Here is a review that Performer Magazine printed of the Rock Science Radio show featuring Demonaut, Order Of The Owl, Mice In Cars and Hail The Titans show that occured at The Drunken Unicorn on Saturday, June 18th, 2011.

"Someone once told this correspondent, “A metal show should make you feel like you just got blown out a 17th-floor window of an exploding skyscraper. You bounced, and you lived, and you’re ready to kick some heads in.” The good men of Demonaut, Order of the Owl, Mice in Cars and Hail the Titans must have gotten the same memo...

The first half of the night ran the gamut of experimental rock. Hail the Titans, from Montgomery, AL and Mice in Cars, “from over there,” took traditional band configurations and turned them on their ears. After a few solid surf metal jams, Hail the Titans guitarist Josh Carples slung his axe over his back and turned to jam out on an optical Theremin. Mice in Cars’ bassist Mark switched between playing straight and dragging a bow across the strings of his guitar, while their drummer Nick took on double-duty on his kit and from the stage went from surf metal to mad science to ambient to harddriving rock and back.

Then the tone of the night took a turn for the Heavy. Order of the Owl took the stage, stared out at their audience and - with nothing more than a look - invited the crowd down the Rabbit Hole to METAL. Their percussion didn’t thrum; it blasted. Clothing rippled against skin like the first wind of a driving storm. People took a step back, but straightened their shoulders and braced forward to weather the blast.

Finally, headliners Demonaut took the stage. The lights dimmed, giving the illusion that the four men on stage had been bathing in blood and murder. With two bassists, Jeff and Joel, guitarist Rod and drummer Dwayne, these men came to thrash. And thrash they did. Little did the audience know, the night had been steadily building to this moment since Hail the Titans’ first chords. Down the Rabbit Hole, indeed, to the Land of Thrashing Metal, Sweat and Darkness."

- Amelia Shackelford

Performer Magazine review of the Baby Baby "Money" cd release show that occured on May 21st, 2011

Hey Everyone,

Performer Magazine published a review of the Baby Baby "Money" cd release show with Parachute Musical and Machines Are People Too.

Here is the review:

A Baby Baby live show is one of those rare musical events where an audience has the opportunity to become more then mere passive bystanders. From the very first wonderful blast of distortion, the band conveys an earnest energy that is largely absent from far too many concerts.

Almost immediately, as guitarist and lead singer Fontez Brooks first wrenched his face into a snarl, the audience was forced into a whirlwind of breathless chants, pounding noise, and inescapable enthusiasm.

The core of Baby Baby’s sound follows a formula that is textbook rock and roll: driving chords propped up by loud drums and thumping bass lines. What makes Baby Baby interesting is the way in which they deliver that formula. Their melodies rely on very basic changes, which are made memorable by their simplicity and repetition.

The indescribable energy of Baby Baby is what really turns their music into something different. Throughout the show, Brooks would pounce into the audience, frantically thrashing around with a perpetual wild-eyed stare. The show could almost double as a comedy set, as a good portion of the night was mostly the band rambling about nonsense, but in the best possible way. Baby Baby actively tries to make their audience feel as if they’re their friends rather than a group of assembled strangers.

The fierceness of Baby Bay also has a way of making some of their songs sloppy and a little bit unintelligible, but this was hardly noticeable with everyone jumping and being joyfully shoved around. When Baby Baby came on for their encore, led by their signature song “Fire,” the combined energy of the band and the audience reached a tipping point and the song turned into more of a brawl as half of the band began to hang off the ceiling, and the crowd reached out their sweaty hands to embrace them. The combination of Baby Baby’s relentless intensity and natural warmth has the potential to turn any performance from a forgettable concert into a frenzied union.

Paul DeMerritt

Performer review of the Wizard Smoke LP release show that occured on Saturday, April 30th

Hey everyone,

Below is a review that Performer Magazine wrote of the Wizard Smoke, Predator and Death Of Kings performance that happened on Saturday, April 30th, 2011.



"The Performer sponsored LP release show for Wizard Smoke’s new album, The Speed of Smoke, began with a scream and a crash and didn’t let up until the last reverb on the last note.

In their current incarnation as a threepiece, two guitarists and a drummer compose opener Death of Kings. Far from sparse, though, their sound filled an initially empty room and seemed
to literally pull people from the ether to fill the space. With singer Matt Matson’s guitar tuned down an octave and riffs echoing and dueling each other, you could swear some invisible demon bassist was throwing down with the three men on stage.

Contrasting with DoK’s classic death metal homage, Predator took the stage and belted out a punk-metal mélange, setting as many asses shaking as heads banging. Brannon Greene (guitar) and Mike Beavers (bass) pulled double duty as vocalists for the band. Joining Greene and Beavers was Greg King on drums and a mysterious, new nameless guitarist filling out the former trio, creating a sound both rich and driving.

Finally, the men of the hour took the stage. Following the night’s trend of adding band members with each successive act, Wizard Smoke features two guitarists, a bassist, a drummer, a laptop / mixer guru and a singer with two mics. Their sound hits you full on. Their first note managed to startle a room full of jaded metal heads. From standing around drinking, smoking and yelling in each other’s ears, the packed Drunken Unicorn crowd seemed to jump in unison. And then it was on. Several people had to leave the room to catch a breath during the set, before returning for more delicious ear bleeding.

All in all, the night was a tribute to metal’s past and a glimpse at its future. A bricolage of influences and genres tied these three variant bands together for one hell of a show." - Amelia Shackelford

Live review of the Baby Baby CD release show that happened on May 21st, 2011

Hey everyone,

Examiner Atlanta posted the following live review of the Baby Baby CD release show that occurred at the Drunken Unicorn on Saturday, May 21st, 2011.

Here is the review:

"On Saturday May 21, 2011 at 9:45 at the Drunken Unicorn, I began a musical advernture that I will not soon forget. This was a special show celebrating the release of the album Money, by an Atlanta up and coming band called Baby Baby. The headliner was joined by two bands based out of Tennessee, Machines are People Too and Parachute Musical. This show struck me because of the high level of talent by all three bands. In my many years of going to small shows, it has been almost a fact of life that the headliner will be talented and the bands coming before are so-so at best. So when the electro-rock band Machines are People Too got on stage, I was pleasantly surprised.


Machines are People Too, are a 3 piece band featuring Brian Sylvester on vocals, keyboard, and beat machine, Cain Lassiter on the keyboards, and Ivan Garcia on the drums. They are self described as an "Indie Pop Dance" group on their Facebook Page. Their music features a strong danceable beat, with evolving electronicr rythms, and a very capable drummer keeping it all together. The vocalist, Sylvester, is solid and really gets into the show. Throughout all of the set he is dancing around on stage, and at times even off the stage. Machines are People Too are the perfect band to really get a crowd into a show, an all-around great lead off hitter.

Next up to the plate was Parachute Musical out of Nashville, TN. A very talented Indie/Punk Rock quartet featuring Josh Foster on piano and lead vocals, Tim Gilbert on guitar and back-up vocals, Andrew Samples on bass guitar and back-up vocals, and Ben Jacoby on drums. With strong melodic vocals and a harder punk rock instrumentation, these guys remind me of a fresher version of angsty teenage punk bands like Red Jumpsuit Apparatus or Yellow Card. This is a group that really knows how to interact with the crowd, drawing them in between songs with amusing banter and stories. At one point during the show they even tried to convince a girl in the crowd to make-out with their manager, to the delight of the crowd.

Now, the band that everyone at the show really came out to see was the buzz worthy Baby Baby.

Two years ago, two roommates at their apartment's pool decided to start playing together. These two were the guitarist Fontez Brooks and the drummer Grant Wallace. At this point Brooks had only just picked up a guitar two months earlier. They went back to the apartment to start making "noise" as Wallace described it. Unable to "escape" the duo playing, the third roommate, Colin Boddy, put his own percussion set together and began to join in on the fun. After a couple months, Kyle Dobbs joined in as the bassist, and thus Baby Baby was formed.

Their self-described "fun rock" seems to link the musicality of punk rock and the attitude of Andrew W.K. There music is all about getting by in life with no money and being dumped by girls. These two topics combined creating the first song off their new album Money, "Instead Of Spending My $20 On the Blink 182 Reunion Show I Took You Out On a Date and You Never Returned My Phone Call So Don't Ever Expect to Eat Free Shrimp Scampi Again Bitch!" The album overall is very catchy and hard not to bang your head to. Their possible downfall is the lyrics, which are only skin-deep, but honestly the energy and passion they put behind the music goes beyond making up for this shortcoming.

Live this band can only be described as "something else". The energy they put into the album is just a blip on the radar compared to what they put into this album release show. It would really be hard to say if the group, especially Brooks, was in control of themselves the entire time on stage. This didn't affect their ability to play their instruments, but Fontez did drop some lyrics because of raw energy he put into his performance, not getting back to the mic in time. Also between songs, Fontez Brooks and Colin Boddy had the tendency to ramble in a sometimes successful attempt to amuse most of the crowd. Besides the lengths of these ramblings, the two members had the tendency to trip over the line between being funny and just being vulgar. I do not blame them for that, because I believe they were caught up in the reality of the night. It was the beginning of their first east coast tour and their album release show, and I highly doubt that every show they play is so crass.

At the end of the night, all the pent up energy in the room just exploded, as Baby Baby and members from the other groups performed "Fire", Baby Baby's most popular single. By the end of the, members from the other groups had to take over as Fontez Brooks and Colin Boddy literally hung from the rafters of the Drunken Unicorn. The anguish in the production manager's face was palpable. Not only did Baby Baby lose it, but the craziness spread into the crowd as stage diving and crowd surfing ensued. It was almost impossible not to get caught up in good times.

While the show did have its downfalls, I have to say that I have never had such a good time watching four sweaty shirtless men in short shorts performing on stage. Their music may be about not having a cent to their name, but the future holds a great deal of riches for Baby Baby, and they will soon not have to worry about money anymore."

By Jason Baskin
Atlanta Local Music Examiner

A live review of the Gobble Gobble show that occured on Wednesday, March 30th, 2011

Hey everyone,

here is a repost of a live show review by Dead Journalist of the Gobble Gobble, Wowser Bowser and Qurious that occurred on Wednesday, March 30th, 2011 at the Drunken Unicorn.

Live Review: Gobble Gobble, Wowser Bowser, Qurious
March 30, 2011, Drunken Unicorn, Atlanta
by Chris Marley (photo's by Chris Marley as well)

Local duo Qurious kicked off the night with their rhythmic blend of experimental electronica. They dawned glow in the dark masks and were illuminated by black light. Their costumes added to the great atmosphere created by their music.

Now, I’ve seen these guys about five times and they have yet to disappoint. Their sound is soothing and organic, yet intense and sometimes stirring. They consistently leave the crowd wanting more. Undoubtedly one of Atlanta’s best young acts.



Wowser Bowser was up next. I’ve heard their name around town, but prior to this night, I had yet to see them live. Wow, what a surprise! I’m fairly certain no one in this band was more than two years out of high school, but these guys had a stage presence well beyond their years, especially front man George Nick.

Even before Gobble Gobble took the stage it was clear that this performance was going to be tough to top. High energy, danceable, and fun. Oh, and four trash bags filled with balloons that littered the crowd throughout their performance. What more could you want? Clearly this band is dedicated and very talented. One of the more memorable performances from a local act hat I’ve seen in quite sometime.

Alright, now onto the headliners.



I’m not going to lie. I had NO idea who Gobble Gobble was, or even what it was, leading up to this show. Sometimes that works out for the best. This was one of those times.

These guys are just flat out entertaining. Their stage set-up was unique. Only one member was on the actual on the stage. The remaining three members performed from the floor, literally within the crowd. Banging pots and pans and constantly interacting with the crowd. The energy was amazing. They knew how to draw everyone in and keep you interested, even if the music isn’t the best thing you’ve ever heard, their show was thoroughly enjoyable.

Editor’s Note: Chris Marley is a contributor for DeadJournalist.com.

Performer Magazine show review of Today The Moon, Tomorrow The Sun from

Hey everyone,

Here is a review from the April 2011 Performer Magazine for the Today The Moon, Tomorrow The Sun, Cusses and Baby Baby show that occurred on Saturday, February 12th, 2011 at the Drunken Unicorn.



At 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 12th, a very slow trickle of music fans filtered into The Drunken Unicorn. Three bands were slated to play, but the crowd hadn’t arrived. With a lineup like Today the Moon, Tomorrow the Sun, The Cusses and Baby Baby, you would think people would be banging down the doors, right? But the night looked ominous. A worried merch girl made noises about the bad traffic, the million other things going on, all the romantic pre-Valentine’s Day crap all over town, how maybe this wouldn’t be the best night for a show. Oh, was she wrong…

Baby Baby started the night off with a rebel yell of “JORTS!!!” Four men got on stage, all decked out in cut-off jean shorts and little else, proclaiming, “Fuck winter! We’re dressed like it’s summer! Whatcha gonna do?!” Then they lit into a set of pure party rock. With grinding guitars, thumping bass, pounding drums and jokes about race, the suburbs and summer clothes, Baby Baby pumped the crowd into a frenzy that wouldn’t end till after Today the Moon, Tomorrow the Sun left the stage. The answer to their (potentially) rhetorical question, of course, was, “We’re gonna dance!”

The Cusses got on stage, sounding like Death From Above 1979 with a gorgeous female leader vibrating down the middle of the stage - think David Byrne with a mean left hook. In the aftermath, one member of the audience said in an awed voice, “Did anyone else feel like she was about to jump off the stage and punch you in the face? Because I kinda did… and, well, that was kinda hot.”

Finally, Today the Moon, Tomorrow the Sun took the stage. TTMTTS gave life to all that is collaboration, rock and dance. They thanked their forerunners. They thanked their openers. They thanked their audience. They thanked each other. The crowd begged, pleaded and demanded, “ONE MORE SONG!” Sure, this happens at nearly every show in every city where kids want more party, but somehow it never gets old. After just enough pause and with just the perfect, “Aw shucks, you really like us?” grins on their faces, TTMTTS came back out and rocked the house down one more time.

- Amelia Shackelford

A live review of Smith Westerns and Yuck from 02/01/2011

Live Review: Smith Westerns, Yuck and Moodrings

February 1, 2011, Drunken Unicorn, Atlanta
by Emily Hogan

I can probably count on one hand the number of bands I’d see more than once in a 48-hour period. Chicago-based Smith Westerns and British rockers Yuck fit into that category. And I’d do it all over again in a heart beat. I saw them in Athens, GA at the 40 Watt on Monday, January 31. It was just the warm up for the Atlanta show the following day.

There was a nice crowd of people ready to go when I got to the Drunken Unicorn around 9PM. It was raining and that always makes me nervous. I had to get there early because Atlanta-based Mood Rings was opening. They recently released an EP, Sweater Weather Forever, and at first listen I knew I needed to see them live. They were excellent, a great way to start the evening.

Yuck took the stage next and they completely blew me away. What can I say? I have thing for bands that tend to sound like they belong in the early ’90s. They played tracks from their debut album that will be released on February 15 on Fat Possum. This was their first trip to Georgia and of course, they couldn’t leave without playing their song that shares the same name. Besides “Georgia,” they played some of my favorite jams, “Get Away,” “The Wall,” and “Suicide Policemen.” They are a talented group of guys and gal, you do not want to miss them when they come to your neighborhood.

I don’t think I can quite describe how I felt when Smith Westerns took the stage. I’ve been a fan since their self-titled debut was released in 2009. They were everything I expected dream pop rockers to be. Since they recently released Dye It Blonde (Fat Possum) in mid-January, it only made sense for them to play tracks from that album. “Imagine Pt. 3,” “End of the Night,” and “Dye It Blonde” really stood out to me. And of course they had to play favorites from their debut like “Dreams,” “Be My Girl,” and ” Girl In Love.” Guitarist Max Kakacek won me over completely. He is ridiculously good at making it look so effortless. Smith Westerns just got up on stage, did their thing and it was over in about an hour.

I know it’s only February, but this show was my favorite of the year so far. I was completely blown away by all three bands. The bill was perfect, the atmosphere was fun, and we were all having a good time.

Reposted from Dead Journalist

Performer Magazine Review of Nigredo, My Empty Phantom and The Acorns

Hey everyone,

here is a live review of the Nigredo, My Empty Phantom and The Acorns show by Performer Magazine that occured on December 15th, 2010.

"On the worst night Atlanta’s seen in years, a thousand plus cars were sliding across ice, crashing into each other in series and parallel. Police shut down
two interstate highways and several main thoroughfares.

It wasn’t snowing, but the rain came down freezing upon impact. Atlanta had, in the course of a day, become a giant freezer. A night to stay home,right? Heed warnings to stay off the roads? Cuddle up under a blanket with a hot cocoa? No, not at all.

December 15th’s Performer sponsored show at The Drunken Unicorn featured Nigredo, My Empty Phantom and The Acorns. The Acorns opened the night with Ross Taylor on a minimal drum kit and Sghetti Head on vocals and acoustic guitar. Sghetti started the Acorns’ set with “Totally Fucking Wasted” because, in his words, “Well, I’m pretty wasted, so I thought it was appropriate…” Then, after several oddly light-hearted songs on heavy subjects, Sghetti jumped off the stage for a raucous sing-along with a couple of dedicated fans who knew his lyrics better than he knew them himself.

Between The Acorns’ happy-go-lucky misery songs and Nigredo’s drone-metal apocalypse, My Empty Phantom (Jesse Beaman) set up all alone on stage between his keyboard and his drum kit. Beaman began each of his songs with the keyboard,
laying down beautiful, ambient piano riffs that he then looped into a repeating, progressive melody. Then, turning away from the keyboard, he set into his drums. If The Acorns’ set was a tribute to drinking away the cold and pain, then My Empty Phantom gave the audience a means to embrace the cold, feel it numb them from the inside, throbbing.

Finally, Nigredo took the stage. With 15 feet of pedals,including eight Moog pedals, these five men sounded like they were playing about 50 instruments. Outside it only seemed like the world was ending. Inside, thanks to this dark, heavy, droning, harsh music, it was certain.

Two frostbitten thumbs up!"

- Amelia Shackelford

Live review of Crowbar's performance at the Drunken Unicorn on November, 29th 2010

"It's a rainy dreary night in Atlanta as the time approaches for me to head out to see the reigning kings of sludge, the almighty Crowbar. I could feel the anticipation building up as I got in my car and headed over to the tiny Drunken Unicorn to meet a friend. I hadn't seen Crowbar since 1995. What was I to expect? For those that don’t know who Crowbar is, they are the reigning kings of sludge metal from New Orleans. "What does Crowbar sound like?" Well, if I had to describe what Crowbar sounds like I would have to say, "They sound like New Orleans. Thick, dark, heavy, muggy yet full of heart and passion." Listening to Crowbar is like drudging through the muddy Mississippi as if it was filled with molasses. That is how I would describe Crowbar in a nutshell and trust me, this is a good thing.

The place was packed and as singer/guitarist Kirk Windstien took the stage the place erupted with a roar from the crowd. Kirk addressed the crowd and then without much of a pause the band kicked right into "Burn Your World." Right away it was apparent to me that these guys still fucking had it. Even though it was a completely different lineup than the last time I saw them, these guys were just slaying it. Kirk addresses the crowd once again by saying, "Here's a really fast one for you!" and then launched into "High Rate Extinction" as the place went absolutely ape shit. I could feel the tension growing behind me as the audience got more and more whipped into a frenzy and then it was just an all out mosh pit. My 37 year old ass was getting banged around like a fucking rag doll and I fucking loved it.

Crowbar was totally melting my face song after song as Windstien slayed us all with his guttural vocals. He has an amazing stage presence and it's completely obvious that he loves what he does. He playfully interacts with the crowd posing for pictures while ripping our faces off. "I Have Failed" from the self titled "Crowbar" album was a real melterpiece but it was "I Am Forever" that really hit me hard. This song drew a huge reaction from the crowd. "Sever The Wicked Hand" from the upcoming album of the same title was another intense piece of Crowbar greatness that proved to me that these guys are nowhere near out of ideas. Windstien has chosen well with his choice of musicians to round out this lineup. Windstien, along with guitarist Matt Brunsen, bassist Patrick Brudders and drummer Tommy Buckley are nothing short of a metal juggernaut that just crushes everything in its path. There is nothing shabby about this line up and I would even say that I liked this one much more than the early Thomas/Strange/Nunenmacher era.

The rest of the show played like an anthology of sorts pulling from the vast catalog of albums Crowbar has released over the years. Song for song it was like a sludge punch to the dome as they hit us with songs like "Self Inflicted", "Conquering" and another new tune called "Liquid Sky And Cold Black Earth" but it was the classic "All I Had I Gave" that completely kicked it up to "11" as the pit went nuts. I stood to the side taking it in and this had to be one of the best metal audiences I have seen in a long fucking time. This is not your kid sister's metal and this isn’t your radio friendly metal. This is true working class metal. Crowbar is the real fucking deal and they have more than an audience. They have a loyal fan base that comes to not only show their allegiance to the band but to show their appreciation. In return Crowbar delivers a show that shows that they are just as grateful and appreciative of what we as fans give to them.

What I loved so much about this show was that I hadn't seen these guys since 1995 yet here I was, 15 years later seeing them and I felt like I just picked up where I left off. I don't mean this in the sense that they haven't grown. I mean this in the fact that Crowbar has a formula that works and by sticking to this formula they not only manage to keep fans for many years but they keep the door open for people like who left for a while but came back only to feel welcomed. It's like reuniting with an old friend over some drinks only to find that nothing has really changed. Time has been good to Crowbar and Crowbar has been good to time. Thanks for still being there guys. I'm back and I'm not going anywhere!

Don de Leaumont – The Great Southern Brainfart

Reposted from The Silver Tongue

A review of the Freelance Whales show that occured on Monday, November 8th

"It was a surprising crowd for a Monday evening, where, upon my arrival to the Drunken Unicorn, there was a line snaking outside the door. Once inside, I had to push my way through the crowded mass of beer-bottle hoisting arms and cuddling couples. Apparently, Freelance Whales really draws in the women-folk.



Miniature Tigers opened the show, having some nice moments, like when the lead singer walked through the crowd, performing an entire dance song in the most intimate way possible. These guys started the evening off well, but the night belonged to Freelance Whales and everybody knew it. As soon as lead singer, Judah Dadone, walked out with the rest of the band, the crowd whistled and hooted and hollered. Instantly, everyone saw Freelance Whales for what they are – just a bunch of sweethearts. The stage with its Christmas lighted flower decorations; Dadone with his big glasses and round smiling face; Doris Cellar playing a bass guitar twice her size; a glockenspiel taking center stage. Well, this concert, like any concert, had its highlights. Scattered throughout the evening, a small selection of new songs were performed, the best of which having been previously released by Stereogum, “Enzymes.” This song, with its advanced lyrics and improved instrumentation, singularly excites me so much for their eventual sophomore album. The band finished the evening with a bang, as they tend to do, by playing “Generator ^ 2nd Floor.” For this song, they finally took out the banjo and harmonium, which are both normally key instruments for the band, but at this show, went by the wayside. In “Generator,” the finger-tapped banjo, the fulfilling harmonium, the simple glockenspiel and oh that ingenious guitar riff, are what make this song so great; the simplicity that makes the track so loveable recorded and live. Similarly, this is the same idea that makes Freelance Whales so pleasant. Simplicity, sincerity, and smiles."

-Adam C. Valeiras

Review on WMRE

A review of the Small Black show on Tuesday, October 26th, 2010

Photo by Ivan Antolic-Soban

Adam Valeiras of WMRE / The Frequency wrote a nice review of the Small Black show that occured at the Drunken Unicorn on Tuesday, October 26th, 2010.

"The Drunken Unicorn – October 26th, 2010

The Drunken Unicorn is literally underground. To find this relatively hidden club, it takes Ivan Antolic-Soban, my photographer, and me nearly twenty minutes of aimless wandering until Ivan finally decides to call his friend from Atlanta to receive directions. We are on the wrong side of the street. After crossing, we hear a thumping bass that could only be the product of a low-fi techno dance beat. We enter through below-ground, sticker-covered double doors, and I immediately understand why The DU is allowed to be elitist enough to not have reliable directions, a phone number, or an entrance sign: this is single-handedly the coolest music venue I’ve been to since my start at Emory. A 250 person capacity, the fact that it’s underground, the cheesy star-studded stage backdrop, the dueling X’s on the back of each of my hands due to my under twenty-one identification. I’m not even sure if I am cool enough to be standing in this music-lover’s rabbit hole of a venue.

The bands tonight are as follows: first up, Class Actress, and then main act, Small Black, who is celebrating the release of the group’s debut album, New Chain. Class Actress kills it. Every song they play is spot on, gathering excitement for the highlight of the evening to come. To introduce Small Black, it must be said that the band is about 95% electronic. Acoustic drums are the only exception, but even then there are still tons of synthesized drum loops throughout each song. This is important because what I believe made this show so amazing was not the order or choice of songs played, but rather the raw energy that surrounded the show. The decently small, but loyal crowd (the show was on a Tuesday night after all) got into every jam as much as the band did. Lead singer Josh Kolenik danced around stage, microphone in hand, with the occasional knob turning on his synth. Bassist Ryan looked like he was on drugs – and he very well might have been – closing his eyes while swinging the long neck of a bass guitar around. Hard to pick highlights, I would say that my favorites of the evening were their two renditions of Despicable Dogs – one being a remix with an old friend who now lives in Atlanta – and their first single off New Chain, “Photojournalist.” Both these songs initiated an immediate dance party, both on stage and off. The band and the crowd seemed so in-sync, with the common ground being the music, and that’s just such a rare thing to find at a live show anymore. Common ground.

-Adam Valeiras"

Click here for the actual post on the WMRE website