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Kanye Who? Sorry, I was at the 7th Street Entry watching Wildhoney, Field Mouse and Cymbals Eat Guitars.
Gracing the Entry stage first was Baltimore, MA five-piece Wildhoney whose intoxicating shoegaze hooked me from the get-go. The band have a superb My Bloody Valentine-esque approach; lead singer Lauren Shusterich’s ethereal vocals skate just below the dreamy wash created by guitarists Joe Trainor and Nathan O’Dell.
It took no time for the crowd to be swept up in the band’s lush melodies, but Trainor grounded us with some brutally loud guitar, and reminded us of the band’s punk rock leanings. Wildhoney have three EPs out: self-titled (2013), Seventeen Forever (2014) and their latest released last October, Your Face Sideways. In July, the band contributed two songs to a four-way split EP Continental Drift featuring fellow Baltimore buds Mercury Girls as well as UK groups The Spook School and Tigercats (out on Slumberland and Fortuna Pop records) and I could not recommend this more!
Field Mouse came next and not only quickened the dream-pop pulse with a set of gorgeous uptempo tunes, but split sides with some great cheeky stage banter. The Philadelphia-based group recently dropped the polished and powerful Episodic (on Topshelf Records) back in August and the new songs sound excellent (“Out of Context” turned my hair from black into bright white).
Members Saysha Heinzman (bass), Tim McCoy (drums), Zoë Browne (synth/guitar), Rachel Browne (vocals/guitar) and Andrew Futral (guitar) have sonic chops to spare, but I always appreciate a band who likes to chat. Browne and Futral were both droll and hilarious, musing about life on the road (“I don’t know what day it is. I don’t know who I am.”), Browne’s distaste for her guitar tuner and fans choosing to see this bill over Kanye West’s concert in St. Paul. I would also like to point out that all three guitarists were equipped with killer instruments (Fender Jazzmasters?) in three delicious flavors: rose, mint and vanilla. Pastel perfection.
Headliners Cymbals Eat Guitars walked on stage to the sensual groove of Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard it Through the Grapevine,” a song lead vocalist/guitarist Joe D’Agostino acknowledged as the “greatest song ever written.” And with that Staten Island’s finest unleashed a jubilant, roaring set that boasted tracks from their 2009 debut Why There Are Mountains (“...And the Hazy Sea”), 2014’s LOSE (“Jackson” “Child Bride” - solo Joe) and Pretty Years, their fantastic new album (Sinderlyn Records). CEG have a sound and presence made for clubs like the Entry; much of their catalogue is anthemic and fierce, but still have a cool New York strut to them.
D’Agostino’s voice is an appealing combination of Mike Ness’ gruff earnestness and Tim Armstrong’s defiant snot. He spits and yells when he wants to like on “Beam” and “Warning” and he slinks it up on my favorite tune “Wish” (a song that also features some serious keyboard action from Brian Hamilton).
Pair that with punchy basslines from Matt Whipple and the mad throttle of drummer Andrew Dole and you’ve got yourself a hearty rock ‘n roll feast to warm the gut and destroy the ears (don’t worry, you didn’t need them). The band shed the grandiose for the night’s final number, however, as D’Agostino played the lovely and heartbreaking “Child Bride.” It’s a song D’Agostino plays by himself and it has a sting that, for me at least, carried well into the next day.
The Cymbals Eat Guitars / Field Mouse / Wildhoney tour will end tonight (October 16th) at Johnny Brenda’s in Philadelphia.
Gracing the Entry stage first was Baltimore, MA five-piece Wildhoney whose intoxicating shoegaze hooked me from the get-go. The band have a superb My Bloody Valentine-esque approach; lead singer Lauren Shusterich’s ethereal vocals skate just below the dreamy wash created by guitarists Joe Trainor and Nathan O’Dell.
It took no time for the crowd to be swept up in the band’s lush melodies, but Trainor grounded us with some brutally loud guitar, and reminded us of the band’s punk rock leanings. Wildhoney have three EPs out: self-titled (2013), Seventeen Forever (2014) and their latest released last October, Your Face Sideways. In July, the band contributed two songs to a four-way split EP Continental Drift featuring fellow Baltimore buds Mercury Girls as well as UK groups The Spook School and Tigercats (out on Slumberland and Fortuna Pop records) and I could not recommend this more!
Field Mouse came next and not only quickened the dream-pop pulse with a set of gorgeous uptempo tunes, but split sides with some great cheeky stage banter. The Philadelphia-based group recently dropped the polished and powerful Episodic (on Topshelf Records) back in August and the new songs sound excellent (“Out of Context” turned my hair from black into bright white).
Members Saysha Heinzman (bass), Tim McCoy (drums), Zoë Browne (synth/guitar), Rachel Browne (vocals/guitar) and Andrew Futral (guitar) have sonic chops to spare, but I always appreciate a band who likes to chat. Browne and Futral were both droll and hilarious, musing about life on the road (“I don’t know what day it is. I don’t know who I am.”), Browne’s distaste for her guitar tuner and fans choosing to see this bill over Kanye West’s concert in St. Paul. I would also like to point out that all three guitarists were equipped with killer instruments (Fender Jazzmasters?) in three delicious flavors: rose, mint and vanilla. Pastel perfection.
Headliners Cymbals Eat Guitars walked on stage to the sensual groove of Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard it Through the Grapevine,” a song lead vocalist/guitarist Joe D’Agostino acknowledged as the “greatest song ever written.” And with that Staten Island’s finest unleashed a jubilant, roaring set that boasted tracks from their 2009 debut Why There Are Mountains (“...And the Hazy Sea”), 2014’s LOSE (“Jackson” “Child Bride” - solo Joe) and Pretty Years, their fantastic new album (Sinderlyn Records). CEG have a sound and presence made for clubs like the Entry; much of their catalogue is anthemic and fierce, but still have a cool New York strut to them.
D’Agostino’s voice is an appealing combination of Mike Ness’ gruff earnestness and Tim Armstrong’s defiant snot. He spits and yells when he wants to like on “Beam” and “Warning” and he slinks it up on my favorite tune “Wish” (a song that also features some serious keyboard action from Brian Hamilton).
Pair that with punchy basslines from Matt Whipple and the mad throttle of drummer Andrew Dole and you’ve got yourself a hearty rock ‘n roll feast to warm the gut and destroy the ears (don’t worry, you didn’t need them). The band shed the grandiose for the night’s final number, however, as D’Agostino played the lovely and heartbreaking “Child Bride.” It’s a song D’Agostino plays by himself and it has a sting that, for me at least, carried well into the next day.
The Cymbals Eat Guitars / Field Mouse / Wildhoney tour will end tonight (October 16th) at Johnny Brenda’s in Philadelphia.
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Cymbals Eat Guitars Tour Poster |
Free Buttons |
Field Mouse Setlist |
Field Mouse |
Wildhoney |
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Cymbals Eat Guitars at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (10 October 2016) photo: Amy
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