If you’re a regular local Long Island concert-goer such as us here at The After Hours Review, it’s very easy to fall into a routine of going to shows specifically for one of few reasons: you are supporting a band you like, you are supporting your friend in a band, or you’re being compensated in some sort of way to attend a show. I absolutely love finding new music, especially when I have the opportunity to get to know these artists as individuals and see them grow over the months and years, but I personally don’t really go out of my way to find new music. I’m not a fan of “drop a band I should listen to” threads and I will literally unfriend anyone on Facebook that will invite me to like random band pages unsolicited. However I have found that the best way for me to find new music is seeing them live, accidentally, while I’m at an event supporting another band: you’re able to see how they interact with the crowd and, not to be a music cliché, there’s something about hearing a band live that’s just different from their recording.
Then I figured, what if I intentionally went to shows in which I did not know the lineup previously and see what they’re about? The best case scenario is that I find a new band that I can’t wait to see and support next and the worst is that I lose ten dollars but can maybe snag an Angry Orchard along the way. Welcome to the new series on The After Hours Review: “One Night Bands”, where once a month I pick a show with a lineup of bands I don’t know, go to it, and write about my first impressions of these bands!
The first up in this series, I’ll be talking about Sighing In Unison’s show at Shakers Pub April 14, which featured music from Ancient Hound, Ghostpool, Previous Love, Heavy Tides, and Sweet Hollow. Read on to see what I enjoyed about this show!
Picture from: Ancient Hound Instagram
Ancient Hound started off the night, a four-piece band from New York. Though they played a standard half hour-ish set, it felt like Ancient Hound accomplished so much within that time frame. The best way I can describe their music is one part something you would hear in an indie movie taking place in the summer and another part of only containing the best parts of a song: catchy, melodic vocals that accent the instrumentals and feeling like the song is never going to end, and then feeling bittersweet when the song eventually does. This is a band I could definitely see myself listening to while I’m making art or writing or even during a summer festival. They were fantastic at setting the stage and tone for the rest of the night, and the crowd there thought so too.
photo: Matt Sledziewski
Ghostpool followed suit, a four-piece band based in Buffalo, New York. Apart from the cool, funky colored hair sported by the two vocalists, Nick and Jake, what really stood out to me from this band is that they gave edgy, harsh elements in their pop-punk sound. I’ve always appreciated when vocalists put a rough or jarring tone in their voice because it makes the words they sing feel more personal; you can practically feel yourself belting out their lyrics while driving 85 miles an hour on a highway. Along with the catchy vocals, the energy in which every member of the band put into the breakdown of each song was amazing to see and it clearly showed how in tune (metaphorically and literally) every member was with each other. These folks were a fast add to my Spotify and definitely hope to see them the next time they’re on Long Island!
Taken from: Previous Love Facebook
Another band based in Buffalo, NY, Previous Love hit the stage after Ghostpool. One thing I immediately noticed about this band was how much fun drummer John was having! Every single song in Previous Love’s set, you could see him completely rocking out and putting his whole energy into every song and it definitely put a smile to my face! Previous Love, similar to Ghostpool’s effect, felt very indie-alternative but their instrumentals gave a unique edge and grit that was uniquely theirs. You could feel every beat and riff grab every individual there, and I definitely hope to see them on another Long Island bill soon.
Image by: Kaitlyn Johnston
Heavy Tides came on right after,ead singer Danny’s solo project turned three-piece indie band from long Island who I have seen on many local bills but never had the opportunity to see myself. Though I couldn’t expect too much from people telling me “this band is pretty good” prior to this event, I still genuinely enjoyed their sound as a first time listener. Danny’s voice is loud and passionate and emotional, that much can be witnessed and experienced even from the not-so-ideal acoustics of the Oakdale bar. I’ve been a recent fan of moody indie sounds, and Heavy Tides’ jovial instrumentals paired with Palladino’s heart-string-pulling voice made me an immediate fan and definitely cannot wait to see them on another local bill!
Taken from: Sweet Hollow Facebook
Ending off the night was Lindenhurst-based Sweet Hollow. This band’s sound I feel paired really well with the weather during this show; the intense, emotional vocals along with jammy instrumentals seemed almost perfect with the cold spring rain happening outside the venue. They were a fantastic band to end the night because I feel that they really represented the aesthetic of this lineup and event especially for someone who is experiencing these bands and event host for the first time.
Overall, what I really enjoyed from this lineup is that no act seemed to stick out from one another yet all complimented each other well. Each band had its own specific aspects which make them unique and really made this bill well-mixed. Fantastic job Sighing In Unison for putting on a great show and thank you to all the bands that played last week to make a late rainy Sunday a fun one!
Make sure to follow The After Hours Review on all social media platforms so you don’t miss next month’s installment of One Night Bands!