Like so many other nights of my life, I found myself at a random show that I knew nothing about. A good buddy of mine had an extra ticket and saying no to a show is just not my style. With only two bands on the docket for the night, I knew that even if I hated every moment of it, it wasn’t going to last long and I could still get a decent night’s sleep. That was my mindset when I escaped the cold and got inside The 7th Street Entry. When I walked out, I had a completely different mindset and was more than happy that I chose to say yes to my buddy.
Cereus Bright was the first band to take the stage. I was instantly intrigued by the stand up bass and mandolin. I may not be a huge folk music fan but the second I see instruments like that, I can’t help but get a wee bit excited. I feel like it brings a little something something to a set that I would typically shrug off as being generic and, let’s be honest, a stand up bass sounds so much better than electric.
The music was exactly what you’d think would come out of a folk-pop band from Tennessee but it didn’t feel cliche. Cereus Bright covered The Beatles’ “Revolution” and it was, hands down, one of the best covers I have ever seen. Not only did it fit the band’s sound perfectly, it was the perfect political song to play after another day of drama in the political world was coming to the end. They didn’t say anything about the current state of our government or what’s going on in this country, they just played the song and that spoke so much louder than anything they could have said to preface it.
The band members seemed beyond genuine when they thanked the growing crowd for coming out on such a bitterly cold Tuesday night. The banter between the band members and crowd was nothing short of adorable. “We have free stickers at the merch table– or, if you’re ready for the next step in this relationship, we have T-shirts! Nothing says commitment like wearing a T-shirt.” I couldn’t help but chuckle. It was funny, it was cute, and it fit the band’s persona perfectly.
After playing a nearly hour long set, it was time for them to give up the stage but I honestly wasn’t ready for it. Their set had been so enjoyable, so chill, I just didn’t want it to end and I truly can’t wait to see where this band goes in the future. They have the sound, the look, the attitudes and the personalities that it takes to get to the top and I hope nothing gets in their way!
South Carolina group Susto was the headliner of the show last night and the reason my friend was so pumped for the show. Susto has a great alt-country sound to them and some damn good songs. Unfortunately, Susto and I started off on the wrong foot. Due to some sound issues with feedback and weird sounds coming out of the monitors, I saw a diva side of the band and I didn’t like it. I get that sound issues are a super annoying thing to have but, come on, this isn’t Madison Square Garden, there are going to be issues but, just like every band that has graced the stage before you, you just have to roll with the punches. Don’t cop an attitude about it, just move on.
Even with the rocky start, I was hooked by singer Justin’s voice within the first line of lyrics he sang. At first, it had a striking resemblance to Tim Kaisher from Cursive/ The Good Life but, within just a couple of songs, it had gone from indie-rock to having a country twang to it. When you mixed Justin’s voice with the upbeat music coming from behind him, you got an awesome, truly unique band and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t fall head over heels for them.
Their music makes you want to move around a bit. It wasn’t anything super super dancy, it was just pure, goodhearted, upbeat music with a message behind it. The lyrics struck me as being a bit more dark than the music it was paired with. They were lyrics about finding and losing God, finding and losing girls, there was a lot of finding and losing, but they weren’t cliche lyrics. Much like Cereus Bright, these guys have everything it takes to go to the next level but, I’m a bit afraid of what the future may hold for these guys.
Like nearly every other band out there who has stars in the eyes and a giant dream in their head, these kids are grinding. They are currently taking part in a four month tour and, on same days, they are playing multiple shows. That’s a hell of a lot of work and it’s got to be exhausting but it’s also part of the fun. Susto has been on the road for nearly a month now and you can tell. Not because they seem tired and worn down, but because Justin kept on apologizing for the cracks in his voice. I get that he was trying to be nice to the crowd and was trying to keep them in the loop but, honestly, had he not said anything, I would have thought that’s just the way it was supposed to sound because all of those cracks and the raspiness fit perfectly. In just a couple of weeks, Susto will be joining The Lumineers on tour and I truly hope they are able to make it through the grind because opening on a tour like that can be absolutely huge for a band and, as I said, these guys have everything it takes.
I could have said no to my friend when he asked me if I wanted the extra ticket to last night’s show but, as you may be able to tell, that’s not my style. I walked into the show thinking it would be a snoozefest and a good chance for me to just chill out and find my zen in the back of the venue but that’s not at all how it ended up going. I truly enjoyed last night’s show and look forward to seeing these two bands grow.
Line Up:
Venue: 7th Street Entry
Sausage Fest Meter- 4 out of 10
Average Age of the Crowd- 27
Crowd Surfers- 0
Stage Divers-0
Broken Bones- 0
Fights-0
Drunkards Taken Out By Security- 0
Celebrity Sightings- None
Overall Score-6 out of 10
Show on Deck- Pop Evil
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