Girl at the Rock Shows

I wasn’t sure what to expect from the show on Tuesday night. I had never heard of the first band and the headliner was never quite my thing but the middle act was the singer of a band that I love. Going into the show, all I could think was, dang, I wish it wasn’t just an acoustic performance– I want the full band. Leaving The Fine Line on Tuesday night all I could think was, why hasn’t Geoff Rickly done more acoustic shows?

Venezuelan rockers Zeta were the first act to take the stage (okay, they live in the U.S. now but they are original from Venezuela and that influence is strong as hell!). As mentioned, I knew nothing about this group prior to their performance on Tuesday but, after witnessing their magic, I want to know everything I possibly can about the group. Zeta’s sound is intense. Well, maybe that’s not quite right. Maybe it would be more appropriate to say that the drumming is intense. Regardless, throughout their quick opening set, I was absolutely captivated by their performance and sound. With heavy Venezuelan influence in their post-hardcore sound, I found what they were giving me to be as intriguing as it was exciting. My favorite part was the way they used everything from salsa and calypso rhythms to an afro-Caribbean vibe all with this touch of Latin influence. Reading that will probably be confusing and, if I’m being honest, I found some of their rhythms to be just that, confusing, but it was so awesome and a great way to start the evening.

Although the room was pretty barren as far as audience is concerned, Zeta didn’t hold back and gave everything they had. There was something about the energy of this band that matched their music perfectly. It was open, accepting, and full of a staggering amount of heart that came to fruition as the band spoke to the audience about how we can all be a positive change in the world if we are positive in our hearts. Reading up on the band now, I found something that says, “Zeta believes in using the DIY ethic in and outside of their music as a force for positive change” and I feel like that puts the feeling I had after they ended their set with an epic drum break better than my words ever could.

Following Zeta was Geoff Rickly– the legendary singer of Thursday. If that band name or even Geoff’s name means nothing to you, feel free to skim the next part as I will be fan girling hard over this portion of the show. Thursday’s album ‘Full Collapse’ came out in 2001 and, since then, I have been in love. There’s something so raw and so intense about Thursday’s sound but it mostly comes from Geoff Rickly’s vocals. Although they are intense and raw, I’ve always found a sense of solace in his words and voice and, like so many other bands from that time, Thursday has helped me through some really tough times.

I’ve seen Thursday as a group multiple times but Tuesday night was my first time seeing Geoff solo. Prior to the set, I was talking to a buddy about how it could go. We speculated as to which songs he may play, which he definitely wouldn’t, if we would hear new songs or not– there were a lot of thoughts going through my head but, as soon as Geoff took the stage and started playing, all of those thoughts fell to the wayside. I was instantly lost in a world of nostalgia, peace, and warmth as I listened to Geoff play songs from Thursday in a very raw and acoustic manner. From songs that I have worshipped over the years, a new track, and some deep dives, I didn’t care what song was being performed, I was drinking every word up like it was the last word I would ever hear.

When it came to the songs, hearing Geoff do a “doom country-western styled” cover of “For The Workforce, Drowning” was definitely the highlight for me but it wasn’t my favorite part of his all-too-quick set. My favorite part was hearing his stories. I feel like, although I’ve seen Geoff perform with the band multiple times, I’ve never really felt that unspoken connection with him like I have with other acts but that changed last night. He came off as personable, funny, and like that best friend from high school that knows everything about you even though you haven’t talked to ages. Long story short, seeing Geoff Rickly perform solo was absolutely amazing and although I’m stoked to see the full band play in a couple of weeks at So What?! Festival in Dallas, TX, I don’t think it will hit me as hard as the performance on Tuesday night.

Closing out the show on Tuesday night was Texas based Sparta. I’ll be perfectly transparent, Sparta was never “my” band. I couldn’t tell you why and, after hearing them play through their 2002 album, ‘Wiretap Scars’ on Tuesday night, I feel like an idiot for not knowing much about these guys but, for some reason, I just never latched onto them like I did to other bands in the scene. All that being said, as they wrapped up their set on Tuesday night, I felt as if I had just seen one of my favorite bands of all time which was a bit confusing for me emotionally but also very, very exciting.

The first thing that struck me about Sparta’s performance was how minimalistic it felt. From the way the stage was fairly empty compared to how crowded it was for Zeta’s performance so the way that the band just went from song to song, I just felt like it was a bit “down to business” but in a good way. Sparta knew exactly what the audience wanted and gave them that with no smoke or mirrors. It honestly was a perfect way to follow up the barebones performance from Geoff Rickly while not skimping on the full-band power that seems to be a signature of Sparta’s.

That was the second thing that struck me about Sparta’s set– the sheer power of this band. Although just a trio, I felt like the passion and sound hit me like a ton of bricks within the first track. It was as powerful as it was beautiful and watching vocalist Jim Ward perform these songs was like watching a beautiful ballet. There was just something so emotive about the way he would approach the microphone or the way his eyes would scan the crowd with a sense of intensity but also a sense of appreciation. It was one of those performances that, although I couldn’t be one of the many people in the now crowded venue singing along to every word like my life depended on it, I was completely enamored by every word that passed by.

I had no clue what to expect from the show on Tuesday night but I knew it was going to be good. That being said, I don’t think I knew it was going to effect me as much as it did. Seriously, all three sets on Tuesday night brought a sense of power, passion, and love to The Fine Line that left me both exhausted and energized at the same time. That’s what we call one hell of a show and I can not thank Zeta, Geoff Rickly, or Sparta enough for that.

Line Up:

Zeta

Geoff Rickly

Sparta

Venue: The Fine Line

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing Notable

Average Age of the Crowd: 35

Crowd Surfers- 0

Stage Divers- 0

Mosh-ability- 2 out of 10

Amount of Beer Spilled On Me While Walking Around- $0

Broken Bones- None

Spotted Flying Through The Air- Nothing

Fights- None Witnessed

Pukers- 0

Passed Out Kids- 0

Idiots Taken Out By Security – 0

How Irritated I Was With The Audience – 0 out of 10

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

Zeta – 0

Geoff Rickly– 0

Sparta – 0

Celebrity Sightings – None

Overall Score – 9 out of 10

Show on Deck — Harbor & Home / Phillip Phillips

Shameless Self Promotion- Join My Patreon Here!

Buy Me a Coffee (Seriously!)