Nashville – The End is an intimate, favorite venue amongst the city’s natives. Attracting an array of different acts from young locals just starting out, to more seasoned musicians simply stopping by Nashville, The End is a preferred place to hear live music in Music City. However, it’s small, it’s gritty, and it’s dark. It’s not for the claustrophobic. But Born Cages, an alt-rock trio out of New York City, brought bright lights and even brighter sounds to the space this past Monday night.
Bathed in light, both literally and figuratively, Born Cages delivered a spunky, youthful show to The End’s equally youthful audience. As Vlad Holiday, lead vocals and guitar, launched into the band’s set alongside Matt Maroulakos on the keyboard and Dave Tantao on the drums, the lightshow behind the group was the first thing that grabbed my attention. I’ve seen many shows at The End, but this one was by far the brightest. Both the crowd and the band appeared to be energized by the colorful display on stage, and the result was nothing less than dazzling.
But not even the lightshow could overshadow the unfiltered charm of Born Cages, and it’s clear that the trio knows exactly how to work an audience. One of the best things about attending concerts at The End is that you have the opportunity to get up close and personal with the band (if you push hard enough)—and Born Cages definitely took advantage of this. Holiday on the guitar was a lightshow in and of himself, remaining purely enigmatic throughout the entire set. Especially apparent in the explosive guitar solo during “Perfect Harmony,” Holiday and his partners commanded the stage with both ease and spontaneity. The song is fast-paced, lively, impulsive, and totally emblematic of the energy Born Cages maintained on an otherwise sleepy night in Nashville.
Not to be ignored, however, was the crowd’s undisputed favorite, “Rolling Down The Hill.” Inviting the audience to sing along during the chorus, the Born Cages didn’t hold back for the last song of their set. It’s the synth during the intro and the chorus that really stands out in this cut, because it provides an upbeat power that gives everything else here purpose. And this power was magnified during the live rendition of the song as the sounds echoed and filled the intimate space.
On June 2 (and currently available for pre-sale), Born Cages will release their debut full-length album, I’m Glad I’m Not Me, via Washington Square. Before leaving Music City for Memphis, the group treated their Nashville audience to some sounds that will appear on the upcoming release. If this song foreshadows things to come, then Born Cages’ new album will certainly be a thoroughly enjoyable listen. And, if anything, it gives us something to look forward to in the aftermath of this positively stunning show.
Born Cages’ spring tour will conclude by the end of this month, but there will be plenty of opportunities to catch them live this summer (good news for Nashville fans: they’ll be returning July 1). Find out when they’ll be in your city via Facebook.
Photo of Born Cages by Nicole Mago
Amaryllis Lyle
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