These Are Powers n' many others over 2 nights (02-26 n' 27th)

(((I'll post a real photo one I get back to richmond // or maybe ill just keep this black flag seinfield photo // I could go either way)))

So this is going to be a different type of review than my usual write ups on this site, due to the fact that These Are Powers, Jeff The Brotherhood & Rhythem Bandit two nights in a row and dont feel like writing a review on just one of these shows in particular.

Joshua Vena
Was kind of an odd choice to have open the Harrisonburg show due to putting on a folk set for a show that was defiantly heavy in energetic raw rock and dance music. However if you take away the fact that he was opening for a show not of his genre he put on a fairly good set. Sound was very much in vein of 60's bob dylan folk that actually had the vocal support to make it not come of as corny. The set wasn't anything out the box or in particular special, it was just a very well rounded and very good folk set, nothing wrong with that.

Andrew Cedermark
Andrew Cedearmark played the show in Charlottesville. For those who don't know he is an ex member of Titus Andronicus who is now living in Charlottesville and making some real fun fuzz out rock songs. His set last night was a definite improvement on the set I saw him do opening for Real Estate back in October (this might be due to the fact that when opening for Real Estate, they played a real bloated set basically to stale time for real estate, who were late to the show due to bad traffic). Anyway if you heard any of this recent lo-fi daydreaming rock groups out recently then you know the sound of Andrew Cedermark. Its lots of run and defiantly one of the more interesting act in Charlottesville right now.

Rhythm Bandit
My friend Dylan has been putting on some really fun and energetic noise dance sets that have been blowing my mind since he played my house back in November. He puts on a real good mix of synth and noise loops that are added with drum n' drum pad procession. His set in Harrisonburg on friday was good overall but started a little slow and sloppy due to some sound issue happening (something that seemed to turn of some at the show), however his set at the tea house was near flawless and was a definite high energy fun. Heavy distorted beats getting mixed with solid pounding drums that just creep up and entrancing you. Next time he plays in your area, make sure to show up to the show early and check his shit out, he's ravenous good.

Jeff The Brotherhood
Caught Jeff The Brotherhood back in November when they were opening for Shonen Knife. Remember leaving the show and probably writing on this blog a review in which I stated how they were solid garage rock that I wasn't really impressed about it. That statement was probably not misguided due to Jeff The Brotherhood seeming extremely pissed through out there set since only a few people actually being near the stage during there set (almost everyone was at the bar drinking) However even with a mixed first impression i'm very happy to see them again this weekend, because they are defiantly one of the more fun hyped bands out right now. Real solid Garage rock revival souther rock that is in your face and faded all at the same time. There is nothing over the top about what they do, they just rock and seem to have fun doing it. Its a real breath of fresh air in a generation of underground music that just try's to infuse to many elements into one bands sound.

These Are Powers
Saw These Are Powers back in 09 put on a really sick show at the now sadly shut down venue Church Of Crystal Light. It was one of my favorite shows of the year. Just extremely fun and creepy no wave punk that created a show with lots of great energy and had everyone in the venue dancing hard. However sometime since I last saw them play they have dropped having a drum set, and now are solely using samples for percussion, and now seem like a cyber punk version of there old self, something im not sure how to feel about. Without the drums there sound seems almost too mushed and hyper to actually get a flow going. They are still a fun band and put on a really solid dance show. However they just seem like less of a unique group and more like your typical brooklyn dance punk group, something i'm not sure how i feel about. Its definitely worth checking out these are powers if you get the chance, i'm just not as excited about the new direction there going into.