By: Andrea Myers
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The Alarmists - Photo by David de Young (click here for full set)
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The fabulous Varsity Theater hosted an evening of fashionable fun that featured three remarkably well-groomed and tight bands. Sponsored by our very own HowWasTheShow.com, the evening kicked off with site favorite The Alarmists.
The Alarmists pummeled through a powerful set, punctuated by the fact that their new bass player, Tony Najm (Planes for Spaces), is a perfect addition to the group and contributes to their already contagious and bubbling enthusiasm. The band adapted well to the larger stage at the theater, filling the room with their sweet and resonant pop rock and making me even more excited for their set at the HowWasTheShow 4th Anniversary Party next weekend (Saturday, May 27) at the Turf Club.
By the time the first set had finished, the Varsity was buzzing with a good-sized audience, a decent portion of which were members of the under-21 club. Another promising pop act, This World Fair, filled the middle slot with a smooth set that pulled the younger ladies in the crowd up to the front and caused them to shriek at lead singer Chris Kalgren. Kalgren remained cool and calm as he switched between gentle piano ballads, catchy and funky keyboard-driven pop tunes and electric guitar rockers, all of which seemed to please the attentive audience. I especially enjoyed “Waiting for You,” a funky, piano-heavy song that has been stuck in my head for days after hearing it live, and a few newer songs that were played earlier on in the set that hinted at a shift toward a heavier, more serious sound in the band’s future.
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The TV Sound - Photo by Mike Minehart
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As The TV Sound prepared to take the stage, the younger members of the audience thinned out and the adult-to-teenager ratio evened out considerably. Whether it was the increase in the percentage of liquor-swilling patrons, the blast of charismatic charm from the first notes played on the stage, or the fact that The TV Sound are just plain good performers – the whole dance floor erupted into a bouncing, laughing party by the end of the first song.
The band has a signature sound, a combination of Steve Hutton’s shimmering vocal dives, bass-driven funk explosions and synthesized keyboard parts that would be silly if they didn’t sound so damn good. The TV Sound were partying in celebration of their debut full-length album, and the self-titled disc is jammed full of the same kinds of spastic, dance-inducing, shiny pop songs that make their live performances so entertaining.
They played through all of their songs on the new album, and I was amazed at how quickly time passed during their set. Though The TV Sound songs tend to be a little longer than the average pop song (typically between four and five minutes), it seemed to work to their advantage during the show because it gave the audience enough time to shift between giving the band undivided attention and partaking in the miniature parties that broke out around the room. During this particular performance, I was especially drawn to the way Max Mileski seemed to steer the band with his increasingly polished bass skills, and drummer Josh Lemoine – despite being hidden away at the back of the stage – kept it all together with a gigantic grin that he wore during most of the set. Guitarist Brandon Dalida and Hutton shot similar smiles at each other throughout the night, clearly reveling in the celebration and displaying much deserved pride in their work.
The crowd responded particularly well to should-be-radio-hits like “Starlight,” “Perfect Memory” and “All of Us,” songs that are so infectious and downright funky that it kept the whole room energized to the last note.
Location Info:
The Varsity Theater
Artist Info: The Alarmists, The TV Sound, This World Fair
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