Tuesday night, pop-punk journeymen, Yellowcard were slated
to play a gig at The Black
Sheep here in Colorado Springs, but due to illness they were unable to
perform.
This was bad news for folks still living in 2003, but good news for
the local bands from this decade that swooped in at the last minute to keep the doors open.
Yellowcard’s supporting act, What’s Eating Gilbert?, took
the headlining slot, with local acts The Charles, Knight in Colors and the lead
guitarist for Mtns filling out
the fight-card. Unfortunately, with refunds for the initial concert offered at
the door, only a handful of fans stuck around for the spur of the moment gig.
Attendance may have been low, but the
opposite could be said for The Charles acts energy level.
A guitar and drums duo
of kids probably to young to gain admission to most rock clubs, The Charles blazed through
a set of original material and covers. Ping-ponging from groovy to thrashy they
rocked with the reckless abandon of a couple of talented kids still discovering
their sound.
Young he may be, but stage presence
doesn’t seem to be a problem for singer/guitarist, Elijah Charles Jarock, who
quipped between songs with the unenthusiastic crowd and head-banged his glorious
whitefro obliviously during guitar solos, while Charles McGrath kept it steady on the skins.
I definitely want to keep an eye on these guys over the next couple years.
Next up came Duncan Slack, lead
guitarist for local pop-punk/emo guys Mtns. Armed with only an acoustic guitar
and an orange beany, he sold the ever-loving crap out of his set.
The whiny remnants of post-Blink-182 pop-punk
isn’t really my cup of tea, but I will say the dude could stay on pitch better
then some of the big names in that particular game.In fact he probably could have He probably could have
filled in for Yellowcard's singer without anybody knowing the difference. If Slack is any indication of the rest of his band’s talent, they’re
worthy of some attention.
After Slack, Knight in Colors hit the stage. These
guys have obviously been playing together for a while and seem to love doing
it. A little punky and a bit indie, they reminded me of a more airy Jimmy
Eat World, but only for lack of a better example. With a pretty tight set of
originals, a nice little ambient interlude/intro to one of their songs and a great Weezer cover, I dug
their set.
If you’re into the “indie” scene
that has gained prominence over the last couple years, look into these guys,
because they do it well, and what’s more, they do it with loud guitars.
Also their bass player has the
coolest guitar stand ever.
Finally we get to the nights
impromptu headliners, What’s Eating Gilbert?.
Fronted by New Found Glory Singer, Chad Gilbert, I honestly
didn’t have the highest expectations for this band, (as I stated before, not
the biggest fan of modern pop-punk) but I was pleasantly surprised by their wit
and energy.
The band’s pop sensibilities leaned as
heavily toward the Crickets as Green Day, right down to the costumes: A tweed
jacket for Chad, Buddy Holly frames and skirts for female members of the band,
and Mormon Button-downs and ties for the rhythm section. The throwback Americana craze looks
good on these punk rockers and I’m currently checking out their back catalogue.
On the whole, it was a good night.
I’m a bit bummed more folks didn’t show up, but I’m glad the staff over at the Black Sheep for kept the doors open
despite Yellowcard’s cancelation.
Although I’ve lived in Colorado
Springs intermittently for five years now, this was my first foray into the
local music scene, an error on my part.
As pretentious
and Meta
as I can be about music and the sanctity of rock n’ roll, I haven’t supported
the musicians in my own backyard. That’s going to change.
As a kid I lamented the
fact that I didn’t have a local music scene. (With the exception of one band,
which had, admittedly, a crap-load of talent.) I’m not a kid anymore, but I’m
going do what little I can to support the scene in my community. Kids with the
desire to pick up an axe or a pair of drumsticks should have a place to hone
their craft and build their confidence as well as a following. I want my city
to be that place.
Quick Note: I’ve started another
blog; a much shorter, less wordy blog all about embarrassing photography, and I
want all of you to be a part of it. Check out the Awkward Selfie Blog here, then get out there
and take some weird-ass pictures of yourself!
