Last night I found myself back at The Rock Shop in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY. This venue has a great vibe to it, as well as tasty bar food upstairs to grab between sets downstairs. I had an interview with Deleted Scenes before doors opened (which you can look forward to reading next week), and then of course I stuck around to catch their set as well as the rest of the bands playing. Malajube was supposed to headline, but at this point they had been delayed at the US/Canadian border and it was up in the air as to whether they would actually make it in time.
Due to this delay, the sets got slowed down a bit to compensate, but when Bozmo took the stage, they came out with guitars blazing and commanded attention. This band, who’s moniker comes from a nickname given to lead singer Bo Moore, hails from Boston and has a great garage punk energy. Their songs are full of clever lyrics, like on “Milksnake” when Bo sings about how “All the crust punk kids have credit cards.” The band’s between song banter was just as amusing, and it was obvious these guys are a tight group who are all about having a good time and playing. Along with the wit was a plentiful helping of fuzzy guitars (some shredding included), and tight drum beats that set the scene for some guitar-driven dance action from the growing crowd of girls on the floor.
Part of this most likely had something to do with the fact that one of the members of Bozmo is also one of the members of Pretty & Nice. Singer/guitarist Jeremy Mendicino basically played a double set this night, yet it’s possible that he alone had more energy than everyone else at the venue combined. His appearance and manner was very Freddy Mercury-esque, especially his crazy eyes. The faces he made were one of the best parts of the show, along with his rock moves.
I remembered seeing Pretty & Nice several years ago when they opened for Enon at Backbooth in Orlando, FL. I recalled them as being a kind of spazzed-out pop electronic dance rock band, like they all ate a lot of sugar before playing. Their set this night was less electronic than I remembered, and more guitar-driven rock with shifting tempos and strategic pauses. Jeremy Mendicino and Holden Lewis are the two original founding members, and although the rest of the lineup has changed a few times, the current lineup is definitely working as a well-oiled pop rock machine. And by well-oiled, I mean that these boys know exactly what they’re doing, and have the tenacity to get away with every bit of silliness they naturally exude. They have a definite wit and sense of humor – Holden had a sticker on his guitar that was strategically fashioned to read “I love my but.” Everything they do seems to be all in good fun, and possibly mostly for their own amusement. It’s true that those are attractive qualities, as evidenced by the fact that by the end of Pretty & Nice’s set, they had brought out the most girls to dance.
Deleted Scenes was next to take the stage with their thoughtful lyrics and compositions. Guitarist/singer/songwriter Dan Scheuerman clearly feels the lyrics he’s written for the songs, and every other member of the band comes across as being fully invested in what they’re doing. This band is a great example of the live translation of music being much more raw and vibrant. Rounded out with Matt Dowling on bass/vocals/synth, Brian Hospital on drums, and Dominic Campanaro on guitar and synth, these guys all exude passion for the music they’re making. This goes twice for Dan – at times he shook so hard while playing that he looked like he was close to falling over. He screamed the lyrics with such intensity it was hard to look away.
Most of the songs they played are off their upcoming releases. They are planning to release their Bedbedbedbedbed EP in July, followed by a full length, Young People’s Church of the Air, in September. They played a few songs off their last LP, Birdseed Shirt, such as “Ithaca,” “City That Never Wakes Up,” and their set closer “Fake IDs.” New song “Bed Bed Bed Bed Bed” was a highlight, with ascending slide guitar lines and permeating harmony vocals. I was most impressed by their slower songs, as they seemed to have the greatest emotion, but all the songs showcased their eclectic style and musicianship. In general, all the bands on this bill seemed to be super tight-knit, with a nice feeling of camaraderie. The only downside was that after Deleted Scenes’ set, Malajube was still about 250 miles away. On the bright side, Deleted Scenes became the headliner by default. If they keep doing what they’re doing, that is something they will probably have to get used to.
Deleted Scenes are playing two more Brooklyn dates – they’ll be at The Rock Shop again tonight with Dale Earnhardt Jr Jr, and tomorrow, May 13th at Brooklyn Fire Proof. Plus, they have a show June 19th at Cameo Gallery, as part of the Northside Festival. Bozmo has no listed upcoming shows, but you can check out their tunes on their Bandcamp. Pretty & Nice will continue to tour towards the Northwest with a stop in Canada, then they’ll be back on the East coast.
