As most music festivals go, you are naturally drawn to your favorites, bands and acts you’ve seen before and love. Just as important are the treasured music discovery moments, the “I saw them when” moments. At 8pm on a more than balmy Sunday, the last day of the 4-day Underground Music Showcase, Violent Summer filled the confines of an art gallery with swiftly crafted hooks and cool melodies that streamed out into the hot air and concrete below.
The four members cramped in the corner wore familiar faces from other band formations, including Kitty Vincent from Le Divorce, Nick Salmon from Glass Homes, Michael King from Ideal Fathers, Tuff Luke from The Dont’s and Be Carefuls, and Austin James from Womb Mates.
While their demo on Bandcamp definitely draws you in, especially if you’re fans of Magnapop, White Town, or Juliana Hatfield, the live performance, in the heat and confines of a non-music venue, was astounding. Tuff Luke sent sweat and high hat streams shooting into the air, Nick twisted and maneuvered his feet and hips behind the keyboard, Michael beamed with his guitar flying ’round, while Kitty kept her cool, delivering the lead vocal lines.
Violent Summer opens tomorrow night for Dax Riggs at Larimer Lounge, who is currently touring the U.S. Expect he may play new, unknown materials along with tracks from 2010’s Say Good Night to the World.
https://www.facebook.com/ViolentSummer
http://violentsummer.bandcamp.com/album/demos
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dax-Riggs-Official-Page/303937176579
