Girl at the Rock Shows

I feel bad that I didn’t go up and personally wish Lucy Geach a happy 40th on Saturday night at Zhora Darling. Truthfully, I had never met this woman before, but it was an honor to celebrate her 40th birthday with a public show that just so happened to be my pick for Saturday night. Okay, that’s a lie. My pick for Saturday night was the Weird Al show happening just outside of downtown at Treasure Island Resort & Casino, but I didn’t get approved for that show and couldn’t afford the high ticket price. Although I was bitter at first, the celebratory and welcoming atmosphere at Zhora Darling made me feel like being denied for Weird Al was a sign, and I ended up being more than honored to spend my Saturday night with all the beautiful souls in attendance at Zhora Darling.

This show was made up of four bands that I had never even heard of before, so I was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as Cha Cha 9, the first act, took the stage. I instantly fell in love with this band but also found myself struggling to find the right words to describe them. The instrumentation from this act was characterized by a sweet, almost lo-fi-leaning pop sound. It created a lush background that allowed the vocals of Veronica Torres to soar, and those vocals are what really drew me to this band. Don’t get me wrong, what was happening in the background was stunning and definitely laid the groundwork for the beautiful set that I got from Cha Cha 9, but the intensity of the vocals was what really got me. They seemed to be almost spoken-word-styled at times, which added a sense of dramatic power that both caught me off guard and had me hooked. Not only was there power in the actual delivery, but the word choice was stunning, giving you a look into the deepest, darkest secrets of whoever had written the words. Long story short, I loved how easily I got lost in the tones of Cha Cha 9, but I equally loved how much the lyrics of the set made me feel something so powerful and beautiful.

Everything about Saturday night was terrific, but what happened next was my favorite thing about this entire show, and that thing is called Choir Walk With Me. I don’t know the background of this group, nor do I need to. This was a group of people who clearly just love singing to the point where they got together and started a choir. There was something fun and non-pretentious about this group. Looking at them, it was hard to find a common denominator. You had some people in the group who had clearly just taken a break from Pride celebrations to come out and others who were a bit older than the average age of the room. Then, there was the birthday girl, Lucy Geach, standing in the middle of the group. Maybe that’s why Choir Walk With Me was on this bill, or perhaps it was just because of the fun they add to a line-up. Regardless, I’m thrilled that my eyes have been opened to this group.

Choir Walk With Me is not your average choir. They sang unassuming songs ranging from Built to Spill to Cher. I didn’t catch the names of all of the songs, but one of the two tracks that really caught me was, as their bandleader put it, their “tearjerker.” It was a stunning song, and I loved seeing the performers literally tear up while singing the track. I don’t know who or what the track was about, but I could tell that it meant everything to this group, and seeing that play out on the packed stage was a highlight of Choir Walk With Me’s set. Another highlight was the mash-up of Creed and Chappell Roan. That’s right, this band went there. While a recording of “Higher” by Creed played, the choir and audience sang “Pink Pony Club,” and it honestly worked remarkably well. It was a funny moment and a mash-up that I’m convinced nobody asked for, but it was so perfect and was just one of the many reasons that I fell madly in love with this group.

Not only was Saturday a celebration of Lucy’s birthday, but it was also the reunion show for A Paper Cup Band. It was obvious that this meant a lot to some in the audience, but to me, this meant very little. I had never heard of A Paper Cup Band before this show, so I didn’t have the nostalgic attachment to the trio like some in the audience did, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying every second of their short time on stage. This group featured two members of Cha Cha 9, so it’s no surprise that their sound leaned ever so slightly into that indie-pop world that I had been lost in during the opening set, but there was also this folk punk twist put onto that sound, making A Paper Cup Band’s sound stand out. As the band played, I learned more and more about them. I learned that, at a point, Lucy was either in this band or just super involved with them, which would make sense why they would reunite for this show. I also learned that I hate the fact that I never got to see this group in their heyday because they were as fun as they were solid. I know this was a reunion show for A Paper Cup Band, but I hope it’s the start of many shows for them so I can experience their magic again.

Closing out this lovely night and beautiful celebration was Chicago-based Brent Penny. Brent Penny came across as a standard indie-pop act but with a twist, and that twist was embodied in Brent Penny’s voice. It was stunning and silky smooth. It felt commercial in a universally accessible way, but there was something about it that made it feel uniquely dazzling. Joined on stage by a band who knew just when to let the vocals soar and when to come in and take over the PA, everything about Brent Penny’s set made it the perfect way to end the show. Although overall, I would call Brent Penny an indie-pop-sounding act, the set incorporated many intricacies, ranging from shoegaze to folk and even some experimental tones, leaving a lasting impression on my mind.

I feel bad that I didn’t personally tell Lucy happy birthday. Blame it on my anxiety or social awkwardness, but Happy Birthday, Lucy! Thank you so much for letting me be part of your celebration, and cheers to 40!

Line Up:

Cha Cha 9

Choir Walk With Me

A Paper Cup Band

Brent Penny

Venue: Zhora Darling

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing Notable

Average Age of the Crowd: 37

Crowd Surfers- 0

Stage Divers- 0

Mosh-ability- 0 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

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)-

Cha Cha 9 – 0

Choir Walk With Me – 0

A Paper Cup Band – 0

Brent Penny – 0

Celebrity Sightings – None

Overall Score – 8 out of 10

Show on Deck — Billy Corgan and the Machines of God / Return to Dust

Shameless Self Promotion:

Join My Patreon Here!

Buy Me a Coffee (Seriously!)

Check out my playlist HERE!