Girl at the Rock Shows

I tend to write that I will see a band the next time they come through but then don’t follow through. I know this is a flaw of mine but, when living in a city with so much amazing live music, it is hard to commit very far in advance. That being said, after I saw The Brevet open for Everclear this past July, I mentioned that you would see me at their show at The Entry when they came back so that’s precisely where I spent my Thursday night.

Joshua Schmidt was the first to take the stage under the name of Cryote. Joshua looked familiar the second he took the stage and it all made sense as he explained to the modest audience that he is also in Step Rockets– a band that I have experienced live a few times and loved every single time. Although Cryote’s music is definitely different from that of Step Rockets, Joshua’s overall vibe was the same– full of passion and heart. Unfortunately, the audience may have been small but it was mighty and the roar of conversations seemed to drown out Joshua’s sound throughout the quick opening set but not before he carved a little place in my heart for Cryote. With nothing more than a guitar, looping station, and his voice, I found the amount of passion that Cryote brought to the stage to be staggering. Although it felt hidden in the conversations at times, those moments that I did hear it fully and clearly, I was completely lost and loved every second of it. I’m not sure if Cryote is just something to keep Joshua busy when not working with Step Rockets or not but I truly hope to get more of it soon!

I had the honor of covering the second band, Flip Rushmore, just a couple of months ago for their EP release show. I remember I really liked their overall vibe that night but also, at times, judging them for some bumps and bruises felt throughout their set. Something clicked with this band. I don’t know if the pressure of an EP release party had gotten to them back in August or I was just having a bad day when I saw them last but their set on Thursday seemed absolutely flawless to me. Stylistically, this band is a bit all over the place. From a 90’s vibe to a more pop-punk rhythm and a more basic indie-rock styling– it’s music that’s interesting but accessible making them the perfect fit for the Thursday night show. Beyond their music is the energy that this band radiates from the stage. They clearly care about what they are doing but also have fun doing that and I think that’s a small element that a lot of bands forget about. Much like Cryote, Flip Rushmore’s set seemed super short as it was clear that they were trying to keep the evening moving. Although it was over before I wanted it to be, I appreciated getting the chance to see this band do what they do best yet again, and can not wait for the next time I get to experience it!

The Brevet is from Southern California but I feel like I’ve started seeing their name pop up everywhere. From seeing them just a couple of months ago in the suburbs when they opened for Everclear to realizing that I have been at their shows before including a 2017 show with Whosah and Yam Haus that I sadly didn’t write about for some reason, I just feel like I can’t escape The Brevet but why would I want to? I liked them when I saw them open for Everclear but didn’t love them. Their music was fine but it just lacked that special spark that I like to see from bands. That being said, I knew there was something about this band I was missing which is why I stuck to my word and made my way out to their show on Thursday with the boyfriend and a friend in tow. I went with my gut on this one and my gut is never wrong.

Much like with Flip Rushmore, I don’t know what clicked but The Brevet’s set on Thursday night was perfect. Their sound is very Mumford & Sons meets The Lumineers and Of Monsters and Men but with a California sun in the background and salty ocean mist in the air. Okay, maybe that’s a bit too cheesy but I think you get what I’m trying to get at here. Their sound is bright but it has a depth to it that makes them one of those bands that can hit on multiple levels or can just be easy listening depending on what your mood is. Personally, I was just looking for some good music to whisk me off of my feet on Thursday and that’s exactly what I got from The Brevet’s set.

Unfortunately, being less than familiar with their songs and overall discography that dates back to 2013 (according to Spotify), I can’t tell you what songs they played or anything like that but frontman Aric Chase Damm mentioned that the night was going to be full of new and unreleased tracks which I was not bummed about at all. I don’t admit it often but I have a soft spot for those bands that came out during the Mumford & Songs boom. I love the indie-alt-rock vibe and listen to playlists full of that stuff daily. Although I feel like The Brevet really missed the boat as far as their timing with that scene goes, I loved seeing a band stick with it and continue on that legacy and sound. Instead of feeling recycled or over-done, I found every song that The Brevet played on Thursday night to be refreshing and full of life which is all I could ever ask of from a Thursday night show.

Sure, there were moments throughout Thursday night where I could feel and hear the bass of the Dark Star Orchestra show happening in the mainroom above us and I took a second to wonder what was going on up there but I was more than content with the show I was at and the people I was there with.

Line Up:

Cryote

Flip Rushmore

The Brevet

Venue: 7th Street Entry

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing Notable

Average Age of the Crowd: 26

Crowd Surfers- None

Stage Divers- 0

Mosh-ability- 3 out of 10

Sausage-Fest Meter- 7 out of 10

Amount of Beer Spilled On Me While Walking Around- $2.67 (Way to go, Joel!)

Broken Bones- None

Spotted Flying Through The Air- Nothing

Fights- None

Pukers- 0

Randomly Shirtless Men – 0

Passed Out Kids- 0

Idiots Taken Out By Security – 0

How Many Times I’ve Seen These Bands Before (or at least how many times I can remember)-

Cryote – 0

Flip Rushmore – 1

The Brevet – 2

Celebrity Sightings – None

Overall Score- 7.1 out of 10

Show on Deck — The Smashing Pumpkins / Jane’s Addiction / Poppy

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