I Try To Breathe In The Rhythms You Prescribe Me

Saturday was a bit of a wild day in my life. It started off normal, albeit a bit hungover, but quickly turned into me buying a new computer. My gut said it was time and that my current laptop was on its lost leg. I knew it was coming but I definitely did not have buying a new computer on my weekend bingo card. It honestly wiped me out. It was a super easy process and, being that I work on Chromebooks, wasn’t super expensive, but still, it left me feeling completely exhausted and stressed. This has nothing to do with the show I went to at Zhora Darling on Saturday night but definitely sets the stage for the mind frame I was in when I entered the venue. I was a bit wiped, a bit in a daze, and my wallet was feeling lighter than usual which had me in a bit of a bad mood but, per usual, as soon as the music started, that mood shifted into something closer to delight and happiness.

Panel was the first local band to take the stage in the dark yet perfect atmosphere of the Zhora Darling music venue (which is located through a maze of a fairly swanky feeling restaurant which adds to an almost “hidden” charm of this place). My boyfriend and I had already gotten a sneak peek at Panel as they warmed up and sound-checked with a full song, so I knew I was in for a treat. Although their set was ridiculously short at just about fifteen minutes long, they packed every beat with a sense of angst and passion that had me sold. Their grunge-inspired, punk-leaning songs rang through the air so perfectly. Although Panel is very much a new band to the local scene having only played a handful of shows at this point (or at least from what I can tell), all of the members of this band came off as seasoned veterans and the way they all fit into the puzzle that is Panel’s music was so perfect. This is absolutely band to keep your eyes on if you aren’t watching them already.

I wish I had the right words to describe what happened next as Cult Vibes took the stage but, the truth is, I just don’t. This band struck me as quirky, original, and oh so perfect. As a seven-piece, this band literally felt a bit larger than life with a sound to match but it was so much more than that that really caught me about this group. Vocalist Dōjō Holliday took the stage and instantly mentioned that he was deaf in his right ear (but, don’t worry, the Prednisone is helping with that). He went on to say that the audience was going to get the best that he could offer and that was that. Honestly, had he not said anything, I never would have known. Everything about this band from Dōjō’s vocals to the raging guitar line and all the way to the three other vocalists that added small intricacies throughout the set that were so perfectly placed and perfectly toned was, well, perfect.

Stylistically, Cult Vvibes is all over the place. The best way I could describe it include me bringing up various names the range from The Aquabats to Architecture in Helsinki. If you know anything about either of those bands, you know they have nothing in common yet, somehow, Cult Vibes had both of those names floating around my head. The constantly changing tempos and key signatures kept me engaged throughout their set and left me wanting so much more because this was the first set in awhile where I felt like the band was truly doing something original and super exciting. I know that Cult Vibes is not a new band at all but they are new to me and, as they left the Zhora Darling stage on Saturday night, they also left my mind completely blown.

Although super well crafted and perfectly presented, there was something eccentric about the music of Cult Vibes, which led to the headlining act, Products Band, so perfectly. Although not quite as eccentric as Cult Vibes, Products Band has always hit me as a super unconventional band. Don’t get me wrong, their guitar-forward songs with almost spoken-word-styled vocals have had me hooked since the first time I saw them back in July of 2021 when they opened for Black Pistol Fire, but there’s something quirky about this band, and I can not get enough of it. Although that quirkiness was absolutely in the spotlight on Saturday night, there was a more refined side of this band that really spoke to my soul throughout their performance. Don’t get me wrong, they were still ridiculously fun to watch and clearly still super passionate about what they were doing, but compared to some of their previous shows I’ve caught, there just felt to be a level of maturity behind this band that I haven’t caught onto before, and I loved it.

Sonically, Products Band was on point. Per usual, there was an almost organic feeling that reigned supreme throughout their set. I couldn’t quite tell you if that was in the actual music or more just in the overall performance and the way the four band members just moved with the music, but I know that it added a sense of excitement that I seem to get every time I see this band. If I’m being truthful, I’ve been burnt out and need a break from shows. I’ve lost the magic, the passion for doing this night after night, but that’s more just due to everything else happening in my life right now and the fact that, other than a few shining stars, a lot of my shows lately have been good, but not super spectacular. Watching Products Band made me feel that spark again. That says way more about their performance than my words possibly can.