Girl at the Rock Shows

The temperatures are slowly coming out of the unbearable range. It was still cold on Tuesday night when I left the house for another night at Zhora Darling, but the air didn’t sting like it had the past two nights. It was a welcome change and made me feel a bit more “into” the show on Tuesday night. Even with the shift to more average temperatures, people seemed to have opted to stay home on Tuesday night. The bar and venue were empty, and it broke my heart. Seriously, people. What did you have going on Tuesday night that was better than checking out a showcase of local talent at a great local watering hole? I know I’m a bit of a freak of nature when it comes to going out nearly every single night but, truthfully, if you didn’t hit the show at Zhora Darling on Tuesday night (which I know you didn’t), you made a big mistake so let me tell you a bit about what you missed out on.

TH3 was a last-minute addition to this bill as one of the original bands slated to play had to bail, but what a welcome addition this trio was. Pronounced T-H-3 (like THC– get it?), this group kicked their set off with “Chop It Up” and instantly brought a flawless groove to the show. The three members of this group were perfectly in sync, which was truly amazing to watch because it felt so effortless. There were plenty of jokes between the members and the modest audience, and many moments where the guitarist pointed out wrong notes that he had played (although I question if they were actually wrong notes or just creative choices because, had he not said anything, I wouldn’t have noticed) yet this band felt like all business when it came to their sound. Instrumental bands aren’t typically for me but I was really enjoying what TH3 was giving me. It showcased creativity and talent while giving you a perfect way to ease into the four-band showcase.

Following TH3 was The Customers. The Customers are not spring chickens when it comes to performing live, and I love that you could feel that, yet something about their set on Tuesday night felt so jammy in a way. With their signature garage-rock sound at the forefront, this four-piece powered through their set with a sense of informal perfection. I don’t know if it was due to the lack of audience or what, but something about The Customers’ set on Tuesday night just felt so perfectly intimate while not lacking their signature 90’s influence that makes them feel a bit like a gritty and grungey version of Soul Asylum. The last time I covered this band, I talked about being lost for words when it came to their set, and sadly, I find myself in that same spot. The Customers is just one of those solid bands. They never change and have a very “instant classic” kind of sound, but there’s not much more to them. I don’t mean that as a knock on this group at all, as I adore their sound, but more just that, with a set like they gave on Tuesday night, there’s not much to say other than check out this group for yourself.

I had never even seen the next act’s name before. 13 Howell was completely foreign to me, adding a sense of thrill as this four-piece took the stage. I didn’t know what to expect, but within just a couple of songs, I understood that that was the point of this band. From their song “Nice,” which had an almost hip-hop undertone to it, to a song about aliens and then a song about vampires, and all the way to a song about there being a spider in the bathroom, this band was all over the place. I honestly felt a bit like the photo of Charlie Kelly in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia where he’s standing against the board with a mess of red yarn trying to connect a bunch of seemingly unrelated photos (you know the one) when it came to trying to follow 13 Howell’s set. It took me a while, but I eventually realized that this is the kind of band that you don’t follow; you just enjoy. Out of all of the songs they played, their “Spider in the Bathtub” track stood out to me the most. Although I disagree with the message behind the song, which tells you to be kind to spiders (and I say screw that– kill ’em all), I loved the drama and theatrics that this song showcased. This song, in particular, told me that 13 Howell is a band that is dancing to the beat of their own drum, and I absolutely adored that. Quirky, fun, a bit out there, and super talented– 13 Howell is officially on my list of local bands I need to spend more time with.

The audience was almost non-existent when the final act, Field Hospitals, took the stage at Zhora Darling. Although it had never really been big, there were a handful of people there for the first three acts, so it broke my heart when Field Hospitals kicked their set off, and I realized that it was just me and a few of the other musicians lingering in the room. Although I felt terrible for the band (and even worse because I skipped out a bit early so I understand that I am part of the problem but, truthfully, I was just absolutely exhausted) and feel like it may have had a slight effect on the drummer’s attitude throughout the set (I’m not sure if I was imaging things, but it seemed like he would have rather been anywhere but playing), this band sounded great, and I only wish more had been there to experience it. Field Hospitals’ sound is a bit poppy, a bit indie, and very classic. There’s something about the sound of this band that feels very old soul. I wish I could expand on that more, but I can’t. It was just something that I felt as this band played through their closing set and it was something that had me hooked and almost intrigued in a way. Much like the set from The Customers, I thoroughly enjoyed Field Hospitals, but as I sit down to write this review the morning after the show, I find myself a little lost for words as, beyond their shamble-pop sound, there was really nothing happening. Again, I do not mean that as a knock on this band at all, but it was just kind of a chill Tuesday night, and, really, nobody needed a super exciting show; we all just wanted a good one, and that’s precisely what we all got.

Line Up:

TH3

The Customers

13 Howell

Field Hospitals

Venue: Zhora Darling

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing Notable

Average Age of the Crowd: 35

Crowd Surfers- 0

Stage Divers- 0

Mosh-ability- 0 out of 10

Broken Bones- None Spotted

Spotted Flying Through The Air- Nothing

Fights- None Witnessed

Pukers- 0

Passed Out People- 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)-

TH3 – 0

The Customers – 1

13 Howell – 0

Field Hospitals – 0

Celebrity Sightings – None

Overall Score – 8 out of 10

Show on Deck — McNasty Brass Band / Dilly Dally Alley/ Obi Original & The Black Atlantics

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