As far as venues like basements go, Goodbye Blue Monday is like someone’s lived-in basement that over time accumulated countless random thrift store knick knacks. A wall on one side of the stage is painted to look like it’s made of subwoofers, and merry-go-round ponies straddle a rail on the other side. I got there so early that I had plenty of time to take all of this in, but I’m sure I could notice something different every time in this place. It’s in a neighborhood that feels kind of sketchy at night, but it’s an interesting and artsy place to sit down, sip a brew, and catch some bands that are as eclectic as the space is. Therefore, as the nature of places like this go, the live music can be hit or miss. This show was both. Luckily, the hit was the band I came to see: Hilly Eye.
Hilly Eye was the third band to go on, and luckily the technical difficulties the bands before had didn’t translate to their set. Hilly Eye was also clearly a more experienced band than the ones before. The guitarist in the very first band actually pounded on his amp when it wasn’t sounding right. Shockingly, that didn’t help. The band after had better luck with their gear, but the sound was still like floating particles that hadn’t really come together yet to form a cohesive whole. When I saw Hilly Eye taking the stage, I couldn’t have been happier.
Hilly Eye has a clear vision. That vision is to rock. The visionaries are friends Amy Klein on guitar and vocals, and Catherine Tung on drums and vocals. You may be more familiar with Amy as a guitarist and violinist in the indie rock band Titus Andronicus. She is very good at what she does in that band, but she’s even better at honing her noise rock post-punk post-riot grrrl sound in this side project with Catherine. Fans of bands like Bikini Kill and Sleater-Kinney would definitely be into this, but you don’t need to be a former riot grrrl to appreciate Amy’s guitar shredding.
Catherine keeps the beats while adding to the harmonies, but it’s the sheer amount of proficiency Amy has that allows her fingers to fly up and down the neck of her guitar that is the most impressive thing about this band. She plays it like she owns it, and sings with screams like battle cries wrought with the imperfection of honesty. She throws in some rock star moves too, but not the arrogant kind. There’s definitely a head bang here and there, some guitar swinging, and some close encounters of the feedback kind. The way she performs, I got the feeling that this is how she listens to music. This is what she does in her room when she’s alone, and this is what she believes in. There are still bands that make real, raw music, and Hilly Eye is one of them. With songs like “Jersey City,” I mean come on. That’s riot grrrl gold right there.
No more upcoming shows listed, but you can name your price to download their EP on Bandcamp to get a taste. For further reading, I would also recommend checking out Amy’s Blog, where she shares her insight and opinions on art, music, politics, community, and everything in between. These aren’t just random ramblings – she says something worthwhile in every post. This is someone worth listening to in more than one capacity.
