Brightest Young Things

all (seriously insane) photos: Shauna Alexander
all words: Svetlana

Every once in a while, you go and just thoroughly enjoy a show.
Everything aligns: the music is good, the people around you somehow feel right, and the bands you're seeing are not big enough yet so you have to be dealing with pushing and shoving and sold-out show claustrophobia.
And, every once in a while, when all that happens, you have a really good night.
Count last Thursday in as one of those.

It was just a two-band bill at DC9 which, frankly, does not happen often enough anymore, especially not on "school" nights, everyone just tries to push as many acts in as possible: local bands to draw their friends in, the other band on that label that just needs a little tour practice, the drummer's other gig, you know how it goes. Well, I am super pleased that we just had those two on offer: The Entrance Band opened and Amazing Baby closed.

So, lets start at the beginning.

The Entrance Band is a 3 piece, there is a very tiny, very energetic kid on drums, a stone cold fox of a bassist woman and the guitarist/front man/whathave you. They're from LA and aside from the fact that they made me wish they were opening for Dead Meadow, they were perfect. Sludgy, glammy rock, just herbed enough to feel relaxed, yet completely relentless. No song felt too long, and their haircuts AND their riffs were all spot on. By the time they were done, we were all ready to be really good friends with them and camp out in the luxury tee-pee they inevitably have in their backyard.

Amazing Baby was next and, well, great as well. Super tight, super polished, great confidence level, great skunk tail hanging off of Simon's guitar, great light show (even at DC9), great attitude (no stage banter, just rock) and right at that point where you can see them being on the brink of greater things to come. And just weird enough to not necessarily risk slipping into the (dreaded) Kings of Leon territory way too soon.

Two songs in, Dakota cozies up and confides "I could see them opening for ANYONE at 930 club, if not even something better". And it's true. Will Roan (check out this interview Ryma did with him-ed) has a great rock voice-confident, clear, able to hold it's own with the cornucopia of instrumental mayhem going around him. Natural born killer singer. The next day William sends me an email announcing he is disappointed they did not play "Bayonets" and have more audience participation, but I am not here to look for holes in this experience: I came, I listened, I enjoyed every oddly intimate/immediate second of it, and walked away being ready and eagerly eager to see what BOTH of these bands do next.
Thank you guys for a great night.

Previously in Live DC:

• 5/24: LiveDC: The Adicts @ RNR Hotel
• 5/24: LiveDC: The Donkeys @ Black Cat
• 5/23: LiveDC: The Barr Brothers w/ Kishi Bashi @ The Hamilton
• 5/23: LiveDC: Damien Jurado @ Black Cat
• 5/23: Report: Soundbites 2012
• 5/22: LiveDC: Spirit Animal @ Red Palace
• 5/22: LiveDC: Astra Via @ Black Cat
• 5/22: LiveDC: Father John Misty @ Rock & Roll Hotel
• 5/22: LiveDC: Drive-By Truckers and Lucinda Williams @ Merriweather
• 5/22: Photos: Summer Camp takes the "Ladies of Town" Drag Show