I go to a lot of metal shows as you all probably know. Now don’t get me wrong, as much as I absolutely love what I do, sometimes metal shows can just be a bit too much. The deafening volume, the breakneck speed, the meatheads running around in a circle pummeling the crap out of each other are all things that, after a while, start to wear me thin. Sometimes I just want a very welcome change of pace and this past Thursday night I got just that when the Riding Easy Records tour featuring Slow Season, Mondo Drag, and headliners Electric Citizen rolled into Atlanta for an awesome night of good ol’ fashioned dirtbag psych rock.
SLOW SEASON
https://www.facebook.com/slowseasonmusic
Kicking things off was California based Slow Season. The band took the stage and launched the festivities with “Sixty Eight” from their latest album Mountains and right off the bat I was moved. I could feel the groove hitting me and causing me to nod my head and groove along with the song. Before launching into the next song, lead vocalist/guitarist Daniel Story Rice announced that this was the band’s first time in Atlanta which totally made me smile. There’s nothing cooler than seeing a band’s first time in your town.
Slow Season really made a hell of a first impression on me with a dynamic and magnetic stage presence and a short, but very sweet set of songs full of gritty, dirty groove that at times even bordered a bit on jamming territory. Lead vocalist Rice was totally blowing my mind with his soulful vocals while the band boasted one of the best fucking drummers I have seen in ages. Just watching drummer Cody Tarbell alone would’ve been enough entertainment as he played like John Bonham and looked like Animal. The band closed things out with “Bars & Bars” which was a jamtastic slab of rock n’ roll that was of epic proportions showcasing some very impressive fretboard wizardry courtesy of lead guitarist David Kent.
Slow Season really blew my mind and this is without a doubt a band that I will be keeping on my radar. As of now, the band has released two stellar albums (Slow Season, Mountains) and they are both fantastic, easy on the ears, driven groove rock. I look forward to seeing and hearing more of this band in the future!
Setlist:
Sixty Eight, Heavy, Shake, Bars & Bars
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MONDO DRAG
https://www.facebook.com/mondodrag
I was beginning to wonder how the next band would hold up after such a facemelting performance from Slow Season. As the 2nd California based band of the night, Mondo Drag, took the stage I was really intrigued by their gear setup. I saw the standard drums and amps, but then center stage was a Moog synth and stage left was a full electric Hammond (not the big ass wood kind) set up. This right away picked my interest and as they kicked into their first song “Zephyr” I was whisked away.
As much as I hate describing a band’s sound as other bands, I want to give you an idea of what I was hearing. What I heard in Mondo Drag was a very distinct Deep Purple meets Jethro Tull (sans flute) kind of sound. The songs were daring and exciting in that the music really seemed to take me someplace. As corny as it sounds, I closed my eyes and I was really feeling the music, seeing the kind of landscapes they were creating with the music. Unfortunately, that whole vibe was interrupted when keyboardist John Gamino began singing.
Maybe it was that I was just so floored by the music that the vocals seemed to be somewhat of an interruption. I didn’t find the vocals to be nearly as strong or as interesting as the music, but at the same time I’m not ready to write them off. Mondo Drag is a band that I feel like I need to dive a little deeper into to see just what all is there for me. Musically they took me on a sonic journey, but the vocals didn’t seem all that necessary to me. I need to spend a bit more time with this one, but their set was enjoyable and they have me wanting to hear a bit more to see what they are all about.
Setlist:
Zephyr, [new material that has yet to be named]
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ELECTRIC CITIZEN
https://www.facebook.com/ElectricCitizen
Feeling a bit bored with my musical choices a few weeks ago, I felt compelled to check out the artist roster for Riding Easy Records. The band name Electric Citizen picked my interest right off the bat . Once I laid ears on them, I knew I was hearing a new Brainfart favorite.I thought to myself, “I bet they’ve already been to Atlanta and won’t be coming back for a while.” I literally jumped out of my chair and did a happy dance when I saw that they would be playing in Atlanta a week later. I made the mad scramble to email the band and their PR as I couldn’t wait to cover their show.
Electric Citizen took the stage and without any kind of flashy introduction they slammed right into “Savage” from their debut album Sateen. I could feel the music shoot through me like I was being struck by lightning or something. Just when I thought it couldn’t get any more electrifying, they slid right into “Ghost of Me” which took things completely over the top with its sonic groove and ethereal vocals from lead singer Laura Dolan. Before moving forward into the set, Dolan smiled and thanked everyone for coming out and for being a “small but powerful audience”
Electric Citizen, as a whole, plays with a lot of passion and fire. They also play with a natural energy and enthusiasm for the music that they are making. It’s very easy to tell that this band is feeling what they’re playing and in turn, creating a contagious vibe. The band’s rhythm section of Nate Wagner (drums) and Randy Proctor (bass) locked down a solid groove song after song while guitarist Ross Dolan just unleashed riff after riff of facemelting awesomeness. Without a doubt the MVP was vocalist Laura Dolan. Watching her perform was like watching Ronnie James Dio and Doro Pesch meets Ozzy. She worked that tiny stage as if she was on an arena stage performing for thousands yet did it all without coming off as corny or cheesy.
Electric Citizen blew my mind in a huge way. I knew I enjoyed the album, the songs, and the songwriting, but after seeing them live, I saw even more potential for this band to grow into something even more spectacular. Electric Citizen is onto something and if they keep moving in this direction they are undoubtedly destined for greatness. Electric Citizen is proof that some of the best fucking bands out there are the ones you have to dig for and seek out yourself. Seek and you shall find my friends. Consider the work done for you already and go be mesmerized by this band. You’re welcome.
Setlist:
Savage, Ghost of Me, Shallow Water, The Trap, Future Persuasion, Magnetic Man, Beggars Need, Light Years Beyond, Evil (new song)
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