By: Andrea Myers
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Epic Hero at the Varsity - Photo by David de Young (view the full set)
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Once Epic Hero had really started to grow on me, the band decided to pull out all the stops and attempt a cover of Counting Crows' “Round Here,” a strange choice considering both the obvious talent of Epic Hero and the lack of a pressing need or demand for Counting Crows songs. In a hilarious progression of events, The TV Sound’s Steve Hutton turned around to gasp and exclaim, “Tell me I’m imagining this,” while music lovers all around me scrunched up their faces in disbelief and made beelines outside for another nicotine fix.
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Mike Schwandt of White Light Riot
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Like a wave of relief, White Light Riot came on next and played a powerful set, rotating between songs on their recent EP, The Dark is Light Enough and a few unreleased songs (read my previous review of WLR). Unlike their last show at the Turf Club, WLR had the chance to fill up the huge stage at the Varsity and permeate every square inch of the large space with their sound, and the new setting was quite flattering.
Appropriately, light technician extraordinaire Erik Stromstad accompanied the music with bolts of white light cutting at all angles across the stage. Lead singer Mike Schwandt adapted to the big stage with a confident stature and somewhat of a rock star-quality attitude, grinning knowingly at the band’s success. Throngs of 18+ girls clung to the edge of the stage, mouthing along with the words and shooting flirty glances at the band. By the time the set climaxed with their best songs, “Illusions” and “Out of Sight,” WLR had won over almost all of the concert-goers in the room with their charisma and bubbling talent.
After waiting for an aggravating 20 minutes in line at the one bar they had open to accommodate the entire crowd, I was able to make my way back up toward the front in time to see This World Fair take the stage. I hadn’t heard much about This World Fair, save for a myriad of inexplicable and inaccurate Ben Folds comparisons, but since getting a copy of their EP, So Is Death and Love, I have been drawn to their music.
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This World Fair at the Varsity
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Front man Chris Kalgren switches between playing piano and guitar (I like him best on the keys), and contributes lyrics that provide dead-on assessments of the world around him. In an amusing moment of clarity, I watched as a sobbing sorority girl angrily dialed up someone on her cell phone as Kalgren sang the lyrics to “Drama,” off the EP:
Drama with a capital D
Wading through this irony
She don’t want to make a big scene
But with such a big stage, such a big screen
She will
She will
The TWF set seemed to pass quickly, as they made their way through 12 songs that ranged from terse indie-pop zingers to slower, winding piano ballads. Kalgren is especially versatile with his vocals, at once both strong and vulnerable. Guitarist DJ House blends with the tight rhythm section to create vivacity, and with pursed lips and great determination he occasionally steps out to add hooky guitar riffs before falling into the background once again.
Highlights from the TWF set include the radio-ready “Amy,” and my personal favorite, the infectious piano-rock tune “Waiting For You.” While their EP is certainly a step in the right direction, I am anxious to see what TWF has planned next, and I am putting my money on a full-length album release and a national tour.
White Light Riot set list:
In Company of Boxes
Bitter Beginning
Stars
The Order
Caffeine and Pills
Illusions
Overcast
Out of Sight
Tuning Out
This World Fair set list:
Chance
Drama
One to One
Snapshot
No Someone
Slowly Running Out
Silicone
7 Letters
Amy
Stand Me Up
Waiting for You
-encore-
Fall
Location Info:
The Varsity Theater
Artist Info: Epic Hero, This World Fair, White Light Riot
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