While I am not generally a fan of going out on New Year’s Eve – New Year’s Eve, Eve, Eve? That’s my kind of party! I met the funky fellows from Dream the Heavy on our podcast, Bands and Artists we like and Support that Aren’t as good as GHU. If you’re unfamiliar with the podcast and/or God Hates Unicorns, the name may sound off-putting. This is intentional, as we are a bunch of huge Goobers. At any rate, we had a grand time – you can see for yourself HERE if you’re so inclined.
After our chat, they were gracious enough to invite us to their next show (which was 12/29 at Club Cafe), and even comped us tickets! I wasn’t sure if they just thought we were really cool or if they were trying to get us there so they could kill us. (Spoiler alert, I’m writing this article, so it was the former)
I had never seen any of the bands on the bill live and had no clue what to expect. Honestly, that’s my favorite kind of party. The place was packed before things even got going. People really showed up for a Thursday night. I was about to find out why!
The night kicked off with a 4 piece called No Sleep for Zombies. These guys had such a cool sound and so much energy and stage presence! The lead singer- what a voice. What HAIR. Every original song was a rock ballad you’d want to sing along to, and every cover was hit out of the park. (Huge bonus points for killing a Gorillaz cover, my favorite!) I think it’s worth mentioning that no matter what sound came out of these guys, you couldn’t have a bad time watching their drummer. I have never seen anyone so genuinely excited to play. Seeing him with that enormous grin put one on my face instantly. I love it so much.
These guys JUST dropped a new album called Die Alone that you’re going to want to get your hands on ASAP.
Dream the Heavy was up next. I had heard their stuff on Bandcamp, but I was absolutely not prepared for the live show that went with it. We got into this show for free, but I would have gladly paid Ticketmaster premiums for this. The lead singer has this smile and presence that is unmatched. He had the moves, too! This guy can DANCE. And not just dance, he was straight up flinging around from the ceiling. It was incredible. Every musician in this band was so damn talented and so fun to watch, their sound just made me want to throw my hands in the air and absolutely freak out. They are an awesome, funky, rock-y, rhythm-blasted party on stage.
The best part? The live set was recorded! Our friend Abstract Theory was there with his camera, and from what I could see with my peekin’, it looks incredible. I’d expect nothing less from that guy, though.
They’re going to be having a release coming up soon too, so be on the lookout. You won’t want to miss it!
The night wrapped up with the uniquely ancient, yet completely rocking, sounds from 3 Leagues to Rome. Something I loved about them right off the bat is that every person in this band looks like they’re in a completely different band, and It’s glorious. Each person is so genuinely and unapologetically their own person, and the blend of styles come together to make something really special. I was very captivated by the singer’s voice most of all. There’s just a feeling of wisdom and beauty in it that really takes their style to the next level.
Thank you again to Dream the Heavy for having me out. The night was fantastic beginning to end. Be sure to kick off your new year with ALL of the bands that were on this bill – you won’t regret it!