CONCERT REVIEW
Drive A, Atreyu and The Used
Feb. 3, Val Air Ballroom
Skinny jeans and nü-metal T-shirts were the style of the night, but to this aging reporter, it felt like Claire’s and Hot Topic got drunk and threw up on each other. Drive A valiantly tried their damnedest to get the small but energetic crowd to loosen up. The foursome powered through a short set of punk-inspired tunes and encouraged the audience to crowd surf. The crowd must have listened because the bouncers had trouble keeping up with the onslaught of floaters. Next was the best band of the night, Atreyu. Not only do they have a cool name (based on a character from “The Neverending Story”), but they are extremely tight and blasted through a ferocious set of songs. Guitarist Dan Jacobs is a beast and can shred with the best. His blood-splattered signature guitar and his Hachimaki (Japanese headband) were a perfect match for ’80s-speed-metal-inspired riffs. Closing the show was The Used. The band tore through a set, appeasing both hardcore fans and casual listeners, with the majority from their latest release, “Artwork.” Front man Burt McCracken was in rare form telling fans, “If you don’t have our new album, go steal it from fucking Wal-Mart.” The band had an old school Nintendo controller flag hanging over the bass amp, but I doubt the majority of the kids in the audience ever played an original Nintendo. Fans of the bands may have deemed the show a success, but Atreyu was the only group worth admission. CV — Jared Curtis
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Jemina Pearl at Vaudeville Mews Photo by Jared Curtis |
Brooks Strause at Vaudeville Mews Photo by Jared Curtis |
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The Used at Val Air Ballroom Photo by Jared Curtis |
Drive A at Val Air Ballroom Photo by Jared Curtis |
