Because of the chaos of last week I have been awful about writing, cialis getting sleep, and doing much else aside from drinking coffee and being a zombie. Be that as it may, I’m getting back on the horse of spouting what I think I know about music, and Rumble Finals seem to be a pretty good time to do that. First, a quick recap of nights 4-6 of Prelims.
Night Four would go to Lifestyle, who wowed the crowed with synthy dance number after synthy dance number, and who also wowed me by having someone chop lead singer Sean Drinkwater’s mullet off mid-set. They saw off competition from rootsy Americana band Mount Peru, hospitalization-overcoming badasses and dark metal monsters Whitcomb, and the loud-ass garage stylings of Twin Berlin.
Night Five will forever be known, for me, as the night I slept in my car in Cambridge. It was too fun not to get super drunk, as every band rocked my face (and liver) off. The night would be taken by the knights of loud punk in shining armor, White Dynomite, whose in-your-face style had to be brought to semis. They saw off narrow competition from the gritty country rock of Coyote Kolb, the high-energy indie jams of the Field Effect, and the awesomely massive noise punk of the Suicide Dolls.
The final night of prelims was an eclectic affair, going eventually to glam rockers The Daily Pravda. Their huge sound could have filled a much bigger venue, but for us at TT’s, with songs like “The Race To Space,” Pravda’s arena-like sound was more than enough. It was a crazy night, as Parks opened the prelim with their poppy, upbeat indie sounds, Jack Burton vs. David Lo Pan got ALL up in our faces with some seriously hardcore rock, and Ruby Rose Fox attempted to seduce every human in the entire room with her smooth, catchy lounge act.
Semifinal Night 1 (4/18)
Thursday night was a little crazy in Boston, to say the least. I’m getting this out now as the dust has settled a little, and we can return to a more normal way of life. That being said, Semifinal Night 1 of the Rock N’ Roll Rumble went on as planned on Thursday and while it was marred by the events in Cambridge and Watertown, it was still a rockin’ good time.
Wildcard winners Glenn Yoder & the Western States took to the stage first, eager to bring more heat after being appointed to the semifinal rounds. They wouldn’t disappoint. Starting off the set with the hopeful ballad “Row,” appropriate for the end of the week, the band would grab their semifinal opportunity with both hands and refused to let go, moving through their alt-country set with ease. From the upbeat stylings of “Younger Brother” to the darker, more ominous “Everything You Want,” Yoder & Co. would prove that they belonged in the semis, capping off their night with “Pretty Little Girl,” that got the whole audience dancing.
Hard to have a rock show without punk, right? That’s where Prelim night 5 winners White Dynomite came in. They breezed through their songs with the same intensity that won them their prelim, with their eponymous song “White Dynomite” setting the stage for a fantastically loud and rambunctious set. Their set kept the volume turned to eleven, with lead yeller Dave Unger saying before “Sweet Tooth” that “we’re allowed to be fatasses, ‘cuz this is America.” Damn right, sir. From “High When I Die” to “Don’t Tell Me (I Need A Doctor)” to the finale of the “White Dynomite” reprise, White Dynomite showed that loud, obnoxious, catchy punk tunes aren’t even close to dead.
Up next were the Daily Pravda and their glam-infused huge styles of rock. It was a tight affair, with the band moving smoothly from song to song as the whole room swayed and swayed. “Holidays On The Run” was a Bowie-infused wall of sound, and the arena-style volume wouldn’t stop there. Their set brought the same huge sound and intensity as their Prelim night, and they looked like they would have been at home in a much larger venue.
Lifestyle would again try to get me moving in my awkward, awkward ways, and again, succeeded. How could I not? Breaking out “Ghostship” and “Whereabouts Unknown” is clearly enough for me. Their synth-pop dance party somehow seemed louder and bouncier to me this time around, as they ripped right through their set, which included a cover of guitarist Ad Frank’s “Winterthru.” That wouldn’t be all the band brought, finishing again with the high-powered “Escape,” with Drinkwater practically throwing himself into the audience.
The first night of Semifinals would go to Glenn Yoder & the Western States, as they proved that they deserved to be in those semifinals. The rest of the weekend would take a slightly stranger turn as the manhunt for the Marathon bombers was in full effect, only to be concluded on Friday, which allowed the whole city to breathe easier. It was definitely a surreal night being down at TT’s that Thursday, but the togetherness of the Boston music community shone through all the crap that had gone on.
Semifinal Night 2 (4/22)
This Semifinal was postponed until Monday for obvious reasons, and there were worries that people wouldn’t come out, but those worries were quickly smashed as the faithful Rumblers converged on TT’s for the final knockout round before the Finals. Personally, this night of Semis would be very special for me, as I was given the chance to judge by our lovely promoter, Anngelle (whattttt). Seems a little crazy that an almost-22, still in college writer would be allowed to judge alongside some of the luminaries of the Boston music scene, but I sure as hell ain’t complaining.
Because of the switched-up schedule, Eddie Japan started us off, with their classy, smooth styles lighting up the whole joint. They inundated the club with groove with “Dead In My Comfort Zone” and “This Married Life,” and would close out their set with their much darker, much more ominous hit, “A Town Called Nowhere.”
The New Highway Hymnal, winners of Prelim Night 1, were next, and brought their psyched-out punk vibe to the stage again. With a visual effects system that was finally working, they blasted the audience with “Out With the Lights” and “More,” all the while keeping the volume up high and letting the feedback from their instruments wail into the crowd. Their onstage destruction at the end of their set was magical.
Night 2 winners Camden took the stage next, with their fast, uptempo rock, which I have dubbed “Bro-rock” getting the audience moving. Singalong tunes like “Talking On the Telephone” and “You’re So Fine” had everyone bouncing, while the faster “Mustangs” and “Wasted” were kickass rock gems.
Finally, Twin Berlin closed out the night. The second wildcard band, they would not disappoint. Despite what some might say (myself occasionally included), Twin Berlin are not your cookie-cutter garage band. They have a kickass sound all their own, and that’s exactly what it’s meant to do: kick ass. Their sheer energy onstage and desire to be there was pretty damn clear. “Wanna Be Your Girl” opened up their set slowly, before they turned up the volume and speed with “Give Up On Me.” They didn’t get naked onstage this time around, but still rocked out with “Kill It Slow.” For their last song, current single “Can’t Take, Take, Take,” They brought all the fans they brought to TT’s onstage for one huge mosh-like dance party.
After an incredibly tight evening, Semifinal Night Two went to Eddie Japan, whose smooth rhythms couldn’t be left out. All that was left was to wait for Finals.
FINALS Preview (4/26)
The final wildcard going into Finals was announced shortly after the conclusion of Semis on Monday, and it went to Twin Berlin. The final lineup for Finals is: Twin Berlin on at 9:30, Glenn Yoder & Co. on at 10:15, and Eddie Japan at 11, with special guests and Rumble 1985 alums the Dogmatics coming on as a special guest band at 11:45. It’s been a pretty outstanding run, and one that I don’t want to end, but all good things must come to pass. There will be more Rumbles, but for now, go rock out and prep for Finals! Later gators.
