The Rocket Summer "Do You Feel?" Tour
If you ever get chance to go see Bryce Avary's 'The Rocket Summer', GO FOR IT!
He's totally note perfect, and the live shows sound almost exact to the perfection of the recordings. There's an electric atmosphere created between him and the crowd, just through his sheer talent on vocals and instruments. Bryce switches from playing guitar to playing piano, and even at one point demonstrated some jealousy inspiring drumming. His vocals are perfect to a 'T', he just never falters!
He played a mixture of songs from older albums and from the new album, including my favourite, "Cross my Heart", which everybody got to join in with through singing "ba ba ba ba ba" while Bryce continued with his guitar. The lucky people near the stage got to surge forwards at one point so that Bryce could stage dive. He didn't get very far, but the experience of it was brilliant.
"Let's lower the lights...make it a little more sexy in here..."
"SEX!"
"Oh no, not like that *looks embarrassed*...he's scared.."
HAHA!
However, the support acts were a bit of a let down.
Me and Gaz experienced a horrifying half hour when the announcement of a second support act meant that we would only get to see The Rocket Summer for a measly half hour (even if we HAD had to leave at 10, we would't have seen them because they took so long to set up and then some stupid guy was telling us a story that basically said "buy our t-shirts to support our suicidal friend"...he didn't get a lot of support from the crowd, especially the drunk rave guy xD)
But alas, my dad saved us and we were able to stay until 11 =]
Right, to the support acts.
Inbetween Two Trees (?):
A bunch of greasy, longhaired American twats who totally patronised the British, and even stole the piano part of one of Bryce's songs! (Well spotted by Gaz) Who cares if they live 10 minutes away from Disney Land? So what, you're rich enough to go every weekend, we don't want to know. Just get off the stage, please!
They were not an amusing band to watch, so much so that I forgot to listen out for what they were called. Their stage presence was wooden and their image was making me feel queasy. Go wash your hair guys, and better yet, CUT THE DAMN THING TO A DECENT HAIR CUT!
They used a keyboard at the most inappropriate times, so a total contrast of sounds arose and just became one big splurge of crap streaming into your ears. The singer's vocals weren't all that amazing, not even close, and he kept taking his mouth away from the microphone before finishing the line he was singing, which got really annoying.
Yet some of the crowd seemed to like them a bit and joined in. I'm betting I would have enjoyed them more if I wasn't so critical, but all the same, they're not the best of bands at all.
The Secret Handshake:
He was a damn sight better than the first support act. His songs are a mix between rave, a bit of grunge and some hiphop / gangster. He kept trying to make everyone do the 'hand bounce' thing that white people just look stupid doing...and it did look stupid.
He interracted with the crowd throughout his whole set making us dance, oh sorry, 'rock like this' and asking us after every song how we were, which got on my nerves.
On his myspace it's just him, a keyboard and a drum machine. On stage it's him, a drummer, a bassist and a let down of pre-recorded backing tracks. The microphone had been set to have a computerised voice effect, which is used to splurge over the bad notes that singers make (like the Cheeky Girls use) The effect didn't add anything good to the performance for me, infact it kept drawing my attention to how bad his vocals were. If it wasn't for that effect, I'm sure he would be tone deaf!
But having said all that jazz, you only really go to see the main act don't you? I'm glad I paid the £10 for the ticket, and it was even worth getting lost in Liverpool and putting my drink on the floor and feeling like a hobo too!
The merchandise was really cool aswell, for all three bands. Me and Gaz have the same jacket haha! I bought mine first!
All in all, like I said before...If you get chance to go see The Rocket Summer, take it! I know I will!
He's totally note perfect, and the live shows sound almost exact to the perfection of the recordings. There's an electric atmosphere created between him and the crowd, just through his sheer talent on vocals and instruments. Bryce switches from playing guitar to playing piano, and even at one point demonstrated some jealousy inspiring drumming. His vocals are perfect to a 'T', he just never falters!
He played a mixture of songs from older albums and from the new album, including my favourite, "Cross my Heart", which everybody got to join in with through singing "ba ba ba ba ba" while Bryce continued with his guitar. The lucky people near the stage got to surge forwards at one point so that Bryce could stage dive. He didn't get very far, but the experience of it was brilliant.
"Let's lower the lights...make it a little more sexy in here..."
"SEX!"
"Oh no, not like that *looks embarrassed*...he's scared.."
HAHA!
However, the support acts were a bit of a let down.
Me and Gaz experienced a horrifying half hour when the announcement of a second support act meant that we would only get to see The Rocket Summer for a measly half hour (even if we HAD had to leave at 10, we would't have seen them because they took so long to set up and then some stupid guy was telling us a story that basically said "buy our t-shirts to support our suicidal friend"...he didn't get a lot of support from the crowd, especially the drunk rave guy xD)
But alas, my dad saved us and we were able to stay until 11 =]
Right, to the support acts.
Inbetween Two Trees (?):
A bunch of greasy, longhaired American twats who totally patronised the British, and even stole the piano part of one of Bryce's songs! (Well spotted by Gaz) Who cares if they live 10 minutes away from Disney Land? So what, you're rich enough to go every weekend, we don't want to know. Just get off the stage, please!
They were not an amusing band to watch, so much so that I forgot to listen out for what they were called. Their stage presence was wooden and their image was making me feel queasy. Go wash your hair guys, and better yet, CUT THE DAMN THING TO A DECENT HAIR CUT!
They used a keyboard at the most inappropriate times, so a total contrast of sounds arose and just became one big splurge of crap streaming into your ears. The singer's vocals weren't all that amazing, not even close, and he kept taking his mouth away from the microphone before finishing the line he was singing, which got really annoying.
Yet some of the crowd seemed to like them a bit and joined in. I'm betting I would have enjoyed them more if I wasn't so critical, but all the same, they're not the best of bands at all.
The Secret Handshake:
He was a damn sight better than the first support act. His songs are a mix between rave, a bit of grunge and some hiphop / gangster. He kept trying to make everyone do the 'hand bounce' thing that white people just look stupid doing...and it did look stupid.
He interracted with the crowd throughout his whole set making us dance, oh sorry, 'rock like this' and asking us after every song how we were, which got on my nerves.
On his myspace it's just him, a keyboard and a drum machine. On stage it's him, a drummer, a bassist and a let down of pre-recorded backing tracks. The microphone had been set to have a computerised voice effect, which is used to splurge over the bad notes that singers make (like the Cheeky Girls use) The effect didn't add anything good to the performance for me, infact it kept drawing my attention to how bad his vocals were. If it wasn't for that effect, I'm sure he would be tone deaf!
But having said all that jazz, you only really go to see the main act don't you? I'm glad I paid the £10 for the ticket, and it was even worth getting lost in Liverpool and putting my drink on the floor and feeling like a hobo too!
The merchandise was really cool aswell, for all three bands. Me and Gaz have the same jacket haha! I bought mine first!
All in all, like I said before...If you get chance to go see The Rocket Summer, take it! I know I will!
It's often the way, support acts sucking big time. But the way i look at it, you pay your money for the main act, the supports are just there to increase the bar tab. Glad you enjoyed the rocket summer.
Grandma, March 19th, 2008 at 12:46:30am