Girl at the Rock Shows

I thought my Tuesday night show was another “blind show.” I picked it because something about the photo of the headliner looked so fun. It drew me in, and my gut told me this was a show I couldn’t pass up. Although I was completely blind to the opening act, I quickly realized as the headliner played that I knew exactly who this was. They were a band that had popped up here and there on some of the playlists I let play while working. I love it when this happens because not only does it mean my gut was right, but it means I’m not as old as I sometimes feel, and I know some of the music that the kids are listening to these days, which, at an all ages show, is more than a welcome feeling.

The sweet and powerful Athens, Georgia-based Hotel Fiction opened up the night. I loved how they hit the young audience with a sense of sweetness to start their set, but as time rolled on, their sound morphed into something a bit more angsty at times and a bit more danceable at others. All of the contrasts of this band told me all I needed to know– although young, Hotel Fiction has a sound that is as accessible as it is creative. From small keyboard interludes to goosebump-inducing vocal harmonies, I was not only taken aback by the band’s talent but also the amount of fun they were having on stage. The group members were clearly good friends, which translated perfectly into an energetic yet understated performance.

Although I didn’t know any of their songs walking into their set on Tuesday night, one song really struck me. “Athens GA” is a song by Hotel Fiction that hit me hard enough that I woke up with the track still whirling around my brain. Part of this was due to the heartfelt and all-to0-real vocals. The other part was because of the impactful delivery of the song. Towards the end of the track, the line “Won’t you stay if I stay baby” is repeated, but the way the group grew this phrase by adding layers of instrumentation and vocals before finishing with an epic four-part harmony gave me chills. Hotel Fiction played for about forty-five minutes, and this was just a tiny snippet of the amazingness they gave the audience, yet it was the moment I knew that this band is a band to watch.

Speaking of bands to watch: The Hails, the night’s headliner, is a band that will surely be a household name in no time. Although in the grand scheme of things The Hails are still coming into their own, I can see the waves they are starting to make. I mean, come on, this was a band I thought I knew nothing about yet, within just a couple of songs, I was singing along to their infectious indie-pop bops because they have infiltrated many of my daily playlists. Their sound is bright and fun but comes with a tremendous sense of heart and fire.

I may call The Hails indie-pop, but like so many other bands popping up right now, I’m only using that term for simplicity. Really, there’s so much more to their sound. There were moments of garage-rock-controlled chaos that fell into something a bit more electronic and danceable within the blink of an eye. Other moments brought a tender sense of maturity but were quickly followed by playful innocence. Sure, I call them an indie-pop band, but it’s a cool kind of indie-pop that deserves your attention due to the creativity this group has woven into the otherwise oversaturated genre.

The Hails’ performance in the intimate 7th Street Entry was precisely what I wanted from this band. It came off as very professional, and it seemed like these kids had been performing for decades, but at the same time, it felt like this band had something to prove. There was so much passion behind every note and beat that it was impossible not to fall in love with this band. I got the feeling that the members of this group knew that they had something special yet also knew that it would be an uphill climb to become the household name they should be. You don’t see that realization in young bands often, and it was so refreshing.

Why do I keep using the word “kids”? Not only were the audience members super young, making me feel a little out of place at first, but the band members also seemed ridiculously young. Although it’s a bit weird to feel like a parent to those standing around you, it also makes my heart so warm. I hear many people my age complain about the state of music these days. These are the people who turn on the radio and hate what they hear. I wish those people would spend more time at local clubs, witnessing the magic I witnessed on Tuesday night. If they did, they would surely have a sense of hope for the future of music and know that there are kids out there who know how to make good music and present it flawlessly and powerfully.

Line Up:

Hotel Fiction

The Hails

Venue: 7th Street Entry

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing Notable

Average Age of the Crowd: 15

Crowd Surfers- None

Stage Divers- None

Dance-ability- 4 out of 10

Amount of Beer Spilled On Me While Walking Around- 0

Broken Bones- None Noticed

Spotted Flying Through The Air- Nothing

Fights- None Witnessed

Pukers- 0

Passed Out People- 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)-

Hotel Fiction – 0

The Hails – 0

Celebrity Sightings – None

Overall Score –7 out of 10

Show on Deck — King Isis / mehro

Shameless Self Promotion:

Join My Patreon Here!

Buy Me a Coffee (Seriously!)

Check out my playlist HERE!