The Friday night edition of Lobsterfest 2011 started off at The Union with Nurser, a band who seemed very much at home within the confines of the dark upstairs music venue.I had missed Nurser to this point, and actually had not read anything about them aside from our hilarious interview with them this week. So, aside from knowing them to be humorous young gentlemen, I had no idea what sort of music to expect.
Nurser plays a sort of... we'll go with noise rock. I can certainly see why some people would not be into this (it does seem to be a very polarizing genre), but I dug it. Shane Riley's guitar sound was probably the most untuned I've ever heard, and his vocals were admittedly a bit hard to hear over the cacophony of noise built up behind him. Then again, that's probably the point. Is it the point? If it's the point, they're winning.
One thing I could comment on was the overall tightness of the band... you can tell they've not been a band as long as some of the others, and--as a result--there does seem to be times that a beat is missed or delayed, or that something simply doesn't seem right with the music. These are just tiny instances that don't take away from the overall experience, but I'm sure they'll be back in the fall sounding better than before. And perhaps, as per their interview, playing in the vault of Chase Bank. Which would be rad.
Following Nurser was Evolve, a hip-hop act (sometimes duo) out of Cincinnati. This was my third experience with Evolve, the first coming at last year's Lobsterfest. Let me say that Evolve is an act never to be missed when he comes to the area (take note, Lobsters and Athenians not at the show last night!). Evolve is not your normal hip-hop/rap act. Rapping about the "social climate in modern Capitalist America," as he put it in an interview with us last fall, Evolve incorporates electronic beats and sounds into the easy-going rhymes. It's definitely a laid-back affair compared to what one may be used to from his genre of music.
The one thing that always irks me about Evolve's set is its length. I cannot say whether it's the fact that I'm enjoying the music or that the set really is that short, but a show with Evolve always seems to blow by. Short and sweet is at times something I can get behind for certain acts, but I'd love to hear more from Evolve. Maybe someday.
--Kevin Rutherford, Editorial Director
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Narrow and the Brights. See them. Immediately.
Frontman Tim Race, whose vocals fall somewhere between a less melancholic Ian Curtis and a less-produced Paul Banks, and drummer Zach Inscho, a percussion powerhouse, put on the best set of the night with the help of their bassist Brad Wilson, no slouch himself.
Soaring guitars, a drum kit getting worked-- nearly abused-- and the conclusion that Narrow and the Brights are undoubtedly the strongest post-punk act I’ve seen come through yet this quarter, made Lobsterfest, Friday night edition, completely worth it.
After Narrow and the Brights went Child Bite. Hardcore is not my forte but I can defintely respect these guys. I probably won’t be caught at Haffa’s buying their album, but their energy was staggering. I am still trying to figure out how their keyboardist/vocalist made it around the stage that much, seemingly without missing any of his parts. I am also still trying to figure out how their bassist ended up on the floor of the Union at the end of their final track with a girl straddling him. Details will be provided as further developments come to light.
--Amanda Norris, Staff Writer
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