Girl at the Rock Shows

I took a couple of days off from shows. Honestly, I needed it. I needed some time just to be a normal human and get a normal amount of sleep. I woke up on Tuesday rejuvenated and ready for yet another concert binge and just hoped that it would start off the right way. To say that the show on Tuesday night at The Varsity Theater got this binge started right would be an understatement.

The crowd was still trickling in as opening act Carpool Tunnel took the stage promptly at 6:30. This was an early show, so it wasn’t a surprise to me that people were still trying to come through the door as Carpool Tunnel played, but I feel bad for those who couldn’t get off work early or make it on time. Although, when compared to the other three acts on this stacked bill, Carpool Tunnel lacked a sense of audience interaction, I loved that this band focused on the music. Sure, they were clearly having fun on stage, but it was clear that their music was in the spotlight more than anything. From the way vocalist, Ben Koppenjan slides his words together while making sure each one hits you with a sense of depth to the way the rest of the band knows exactly when to be in and out of the pocket, Carpool Tunnel kicked the night off perfectly.

I honestly don’t know if I’ve ever seen Heart Attack Man before. I vaguely remember seeing them in their hometown of Cleveland, Ohio, when I went out there to visit a good friend, but I wasn’t keeping track of my shows back then, and it could have been another band. All I knew was that I was full of anticipation as they took the stage on Tuesday night, and although I had super high expectations, they didn’t let me down. This punk-leaning pop-punk band has such flawless and intense energy. I think my brother, who I was with part of this show, put it best when he joked about how, between songs, this band has a hardcore energy, but when they start to play, they give you Jack’s Mannequin. Although I’m afraid I have to disagree with the Jack’s Mannequin comparison, I do agree with the statement overall. Heart Attack Man comes off as slightly aggressive between songs, but their songs are actually super fun and accessible and led me down a lane of pure nostalgia into the early 2000s pop-punk scene. Sets were short, and Heart Attack Man only had about thirty minutes on stage, which was truly not enough, but they definitely packed a punch. Whether or not this was my first time seeing this Cleveland, Ohio-bred band, I truly hope it won’t be my last.

Tuesday night was my third time seeing Washington DC-based duo Origami Angel and just like the previous two times, they had me completely impressed and trapped in their world within their first song on Tuesday night. I know I said that this act is a duo, but don’t let that fool you. These two musicians pack so much energy and passion into a set that it’s like watching a full band. Scratch that- I’ve seen full bands that can’t even give me the same fire and fight that Origami Angel does. Long story short, this is a band that has to be seen live, not just listened to. Don’t get me wrong, I love their recordings and often revert back to one of their two studio albums when I don’t know what to listen to, but there’s just something so special about their live performance, and that’s not lost on the crowd.

Although Origami Angel was not the headlining act for the night, it sure felt like it. Within the first song, the packed audience had turned into a sweaty mess of flailing limbs and one lost shoe. By the end of their time on stage, there was an almost constant stream of crowd surfers being lifted over the barricade. Although the two performers didn’t miss a single note or beat and were clearly in the spotlight throughout the night, I really think it was the audience that made this set. Maybe it was because I was caught off guard thinking that not many people knew about this band, or maybe it was the sheer power that the audience showed as they sang back up throughout the set, almost overpowering the duo at times. Regardless of what it was, this was a fan’s set, and it was the kind of set I live for. Being lost in a sea of people who seemingly have nothing in common other than being in the same space on a Tuesday night as they all scream in unison, and you feel their passion and their stress of the day melt to the floor– yeah, Origami Angel’s set was a stand-out set in an overall flawless night.

Closing out the amazing night of truly great music was Georgia-based Microwave. In my mind, Microwave has always been a support act. I don’t mean that to sound mean, but the few times I’ve seen them (although it’s been years), it has either been at a festival or as them being direct support for a larger tour. I was worried that they weren’t going to have what it took to command a crowd (especially after how Origami Angel had gotten the audience in a bit of a tizzy), but that fear quickly subsided as they jumped into what would turn into a fairly lengthy yet not long enough set.

Microwave’s sound is very much emo-infused alt-rock with a dash of pop-punk and a whole lot of heart. Like the previous bands, Microwave brought an undeniable sense of passion to the Varsity Theater stage that was only enhanced by the reaction of the audience. Sure, their sound was a bit calmer than that of the previous acts, but that didn’t stop people in the audience from screaming along to the words as if their lives depended on it. One of my favorite things about Microwave’s set is that, although they just released their fourth album, ‘Let’s Start Degeneracy,’ they didn’t focus on it. Sure, they played some of the amazing songs from this album, but they also played a lot from their previous three albums. The way each song showed a different side and evolution of this band is what really had me stuck where I was with my eyes glued to the stage and my ears glued to the speakers. I’ll be honest: Microwave isn’t one of those bands that I have spent a lot of time diving into their discography, but I could tell what “era” of this band each song came from just due to the overall vibe. I loved this but also loved how all of these songs, regardless of how different, felt cohesively like those of Microwave. 

I took a break from shows over the weekend, and it started having me dreaming of a life where I wasn’t perpetually exhausted and actually had time to do things at home and see friends. Tuesday night’s show snapped me out of that really quick and instantly reminded me why this is the life I choose to live. 

Line Up:

Carpool Tunnel

Heart Attack Man

Origami Angel

Microwave

Venue: Varsity Theater

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing Notable

Average Age of the Crowd: 26

Crowd Surfers- Lost count at 27

Stage Divers- None

Mosh-ability- 7 out of 10

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

Broken Bones- None

Spotted Flying Through The Air- Bodies; 1 Shoe

Fights- None Witnessed

Pukers- 0

Passed Out People- 0

Idiots Taken Out By Security – None Spotted

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

Carpool Tunnel – 0

Heart Attack Man– 0?

Origami Angel – 2

Microwave – 3

Celebrity Sightings – None

Overall Score- 9 out of 10

Show on Deck —MJ: The Musical

Shameless Self Promotion- Join My Patreon Here!

Buy Me a Coffee (Seriously!)