The Good 19
The Good 19 started the evening off with a short psuedo-punk-infused modern rock set, playing to less than 30 people. During “Please Believe Me,” a song frontman Brendan Quine said the band hadn’t played in while, The Good 19 broke out into an instrumental jam as Quine called out to the audience, “Everybody dance.” There was a slight air of awkwardness as a few people unsurely glanced around and began nervously rocking back and forth or side to side.
While the early evening crowd was still cool, The Good 19 was a good warm-up act to jumpstart the kinetic energy. Many of their tunes incorporated mini-movements as the band experimented with a variety of tempos. The stop-and-go rhythm of “Wanderlust” was a case in point. Interestingly, the band’s live set is much heavier than the recorded tracks featured on its Facebook BandPage.
The Singular
Next in the lineup, The Singular emerged transmuting the atmosphere with dreamy synth sounds produced by keyboardist Nichole Catalano-Miller. Lead vocalist and guitarist James Pequignot led the group in a clean startoff. However, throughout the set I found myself thinking the songs sounded replicated and forgettable. The odd thing is I liked what I heard. I don't disregard the band’s musicianship. Each member's ability to follow and play off one another without missing a beat was quite evident. It’s simply that upon first impression, I felt I’d heard it before and most of the songs lacked the kind of melody that sticks with you.
After a couple of up-tempo songs, Pequignot introduced a melancholy mood changer "Box," which he described as "a song about getting the shit beat out of you.” To Pequignot’s credit, he’s not shy to speak the thoughts on his mind lyrically or in between songs on stage. At one point, an audience member, likely a friend or acquaintance, cried out a mocking request for “Freebird” to which Pequignot lightheartedly responded, “No, no. Why have you done this?”
I was about to write the band off as another modern prog-rock troupe, but I was bewitched by Catalano-Miller on keys and then the group played an entrancing number during which percussionist Jason Chicatelli set a smooth tone by rubbing the tops of his snare and tom with the palms of his hands.
The avant-garde sound of The Singular’s latest album, The Sad Machine, did not come across in the night’s live performance, but this band won me over with its recorded tracks (albeit, many of which are reproductions of innovative concepts originally trudged out by Radiohead). Yet again, to Pequignot’s credit, he did not hesitate to attribute Thom Yorke as a top-three influencer of his songwriting.
The Singular is on The Rhythm Report’s watch list. It’s a band that ought to be playing in a venue with acoustics better attuned to its sound. With that said, I’ll look forward to hearing the group play in a different live setting. The musicians will soften up their set as “The Singular Goes Acoustic” at Stone Tavern in Kent for the 45th Kent State Folk Festival on Saturday, September 23.
Get a free download of The Singular's "CMF" on BandCamp.
Get a free download of The Singular's "CMF" on BandCamp.
Saturday night’s show at The Auricle was the last leg of Baltimore-based Vinny Vegas’ Blue Tunnel Release Tour. The five-piece initiated its set clapping over a precursory drum-and-bass-driven buildup, which led to an abrupt transition into a pop-friendly, dance-rock tune. The intro did not achieve the intended intensity but the band came out strong with the first beat of “Afro Feet.” [Watch the video here]
Lead vocalist Scott Siskind introduced new release “The Blue Tunnel” by jokingly telling the crowd, “This next song’s pretty terrible. You don’t want it.” Yet the band’s performance indicated otherwise. As the bandmates jammed, it was clear it was a song they felt. Likewise, its mystic vibe moved the audience.
The band seemed to struggle with precision at times, but it might have been chalked up to the final night of a 10-day tour. Vinny Vegas’ best-performed songs of the show were saved for last. The band played “Watching Out for Mastodons” before striking hard with “Mallets” to close the set. Siskind’s songwriting is poignant and his accompanying instrumentalists add flavors of murky rock, pumped-up pop beats and soul to create a mind-warping sound. Still, some fine-tuning of their experimental techniques may be in order.
Vinny Vegas fans in Maryland can catch Siskind performing a solo acoustic set at Guido’s in Frederick, Md. on Friday, September 16. The Rhythm Report will stay up to date on the band’s next Ohio tour stop.
Get a free download of Vinny Vegas' two-song EP Vinyl, which features "Ogre Hands" and "Ontario," on BandCamp.
Get a free download of Vinny Vegas' two-song EP Vinyl, which features "Ogre Hands" and "Ontario," on BandCamp.
Air is Watching
Three-man modern rock group Air is Watching caught my attention during soundcheck as multi-instrumentalist David McHenry tested various sounds from a vintage Moog Prodigy synthesizer. The band’s camaraderie with the evening's remaining audience members was obvious as several individuals eagerly clamored to the stage front to await the set. As the band prepared to get started, Drummer Joey Scale playfully quipped into his mic, “We’re an experimental soundcheck band.” 
Frontman Michael Texas appeared to be a curious character, donning wide-rimmed nerd glasses and a curly afro mane. Don’t be fooled by his geeky exterior, this freaky-haired dude can belt a tune.
The band played a brief set, not sparing a moment to demonstrate its enthusiasm and range with solid builds between the keys and bass.
There was nothing spectacularly unique about Air is Watching’s music, but it was obvious their heart was all in it as Texas quivered with energy. The band members distinguished themselves through execution and vigor, making for an exhilarating show.
Hear Air is Watching on BandCamp. Take a listen to "Is You Your Body? Is You Nobody?" below.
Review written by Priscilla Tasker
twas a swell evening!
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