At the speed Two Gallants took the stage at the Firebird last night, my guess was that I would not be in for the soulful rock session I had planned for.
Many artists embrace the raw side of rock 'n' roll, but few can translate it into an unstoppable force hell-bent on creating a party that will not end until the last bit of sweat is wrung from your brow. Quintron is one of those translators.
Japanese garage punk band Guitar Wolf had the crowd whipped into a frenzy at the Firebird on Thursday night. DinoFight!, Ded Bugs and Transistors opened the show.
Music is one of those rare things that is understood by everyone, regardless of location or language spoken. Guitar Wolf gave evidence in favor of that statement, and a PSA for hearing protection, Thursday night at the Firebird.
It could have happened in any dimly-lit bar or club over the past 33 years. Mission of Burma, the iconic post-punk power trio from Boston, could have played any number of venues that have come and gone in St. Louis, but they didn't. In that sense, their show at the Firebird last night was indeed historic.
The Firebird was crowded with eager indie music lovers ready to witness two separate duo acts take the stage.
Philadelphia's Denison Witmer opened with a set of introspective tunes concerned with self-study and literary metaphors. After a few minutes of self-deprecation about his height, Witmer slipped into "Light on My Face" from 2012's "The Ones Who Wait." The track stood out as a meticulous ode to love and careful passion. Here, Witmer, with his slight nasal rasp, conjured the solo work of Get Up Kids lead singer Matthew Pryor.
Punk-rock icon Kevin Seconds has always said the main intention with his music was to play extremely melodic songs extremely fast. Thirty or so years later, the tempo has slowed down, but Seconds' songs and vocals have blossomed as witnessed Thursday night at the Firebird.
The Firebird never smelled so skunky. Door guys scuttled around like roaches trying to bust concertgoers who were bold enough to burn one down directly before the stage. The timid among us were content enough to huddle in close for free smells.
Stalwart punk anthems for the outwardly tattooed but emotionally fragile: the Smoking Popes, unlikely love balladeers and polite band of brothers, played to a couple dozen enthralled fans at the Firebird on Thursday night.
Doomtree is more than simply a touring act and a hip-hop crew; they are a collective of artists, cooperatively managing a label to produce brilliant collaborative and solo works.
On the way to SXSW, a slew of bands stopped by the Firebird to sow some new spring seeds and leave some tasty arils. Pomegranates headlined an artsy-rock heavy lineup of bands local, national and Canadian.
Clad in Cobainesque red and black plaid, Tanner Merritt, lead singer of O'Brother, stood before a crowd of leather-wearing, hard-art-rock aficionados and pushed his falsetto voice into the microphone.
The Toasters heated up the Firebird on a snowy night.
Heartless Bastards and Hacienda returned to St. Louis for a packed show at the Firebird.
Hacienda, an impressively-bearded four-piece family band from San Antonio, opened for Heartless Bastards last night at the Firebird. While the bands aren't labelmates, their styles are somewhat similar and make for a well-paired touring team.
St. Louis band False Moves opened up at the Firebird last night with a set of skillful, pulsing, rhythmic tunes that featured two guitars, a bass and core-rattling drums.
Wednesday night at the Firebird was similar to the recent wave of awesome weather days this winter in St. Louis. I went into the Pomegranates-headlined show knowing their set was sure to leave me smiling and bouncing a bit the next day.
Back in November when the Lawrence Arms decided to play St. Louis for the first time in four years, they made sure to pick the coldest and snowiest day of the year.
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