This last Friday, I had the experience to see some of Indiana’s great local bands performing at a show at The Vogue. While I had never heard of the bands before, I went into the night with an open mind on what would be to come from great bands.
Jer Gregg opened up the show. I had it on good authority from a friend that this band would not disappoint me, and he was right. Jer Gregg’s set was simply amazing and had everything wonderful to set up a great night of music. The best way I could describe the sounds of the lyrics would be to say he sounds very similar to Brent Smith of Shinedown and Myles Kennedy from Alter Bridge. Don’t, however, think for a second that this means that the entire set was very similar to the bands those two bands play. Jer Gregg uses the guitar to their advantage and had a string of songs filled with wonderful guitar solos. Even the slower songs he played didn’t take away from the amazing instrumentals. Some members of The Last Good Year even jumped on stage for a song to get the crowd pumping a little bit more. Through the use of their powerful insturmentals and wonderful lyrics, Jer Gregg did an amazing job and I thought they would be a tough act to follow – And it was only the beginning of the night.
Last Good Year came up second. They started out the set with a very hard hitting tune and didn’t stop from there. While, once again, I hadn’t been familiar with the band’s work until that night, I found that they were indeed a very good act. It’s always a huge positive for me when a band can pull off great harmony, and this band is no exception. Throughout the night we heard wonderful displays of that harmony in full force – Sometimes 3 part. The band rocked with some stellar guitar solos that would make any fan of the instrument crack a smile and the whole band had, what I felt, was a wonderful stage presence. That’s always key to performing a good live show. My favorite part of the set was when they had Xero Sum’s lead singer come up and cover Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song.” Being a big fan of Zep, I am always leary of when a band tries to cover any songs, but that was lost in the way they nailed it.
Clearing the way for the next band, Xero Sum, I hadn’t been made fully aware of what to expect with them. Noticing the last two bands, I had expected some very good music similar to what I had just heard. What I got instead blew me away. The best way I can describe the band for those who might not have seen them is they’re similar to Fly Leaf, if not only keeping their own sound that totally separates them from the band. The hard hitting chords and double bass got me excited because of the intensity in the songs. The whole band was very into it and I couldn’t help but notice the drummer on so many occasions. The stage presence from the band draws the spectator in, regardless if that person wanted to be brought in or not. Watching a band perform at this caliber impresses me, and I cannot say enough good things about the band.
Never being at The Vogue for a concert before, I had assumed they would run the headliners last. (The Last Good Year and Xero Sum) However, at about 1:30 in the morning, Glass Halo ended the show out. Now – Whether it’s because they wanted to make sure the crowd in Broadripple didn’t disperse so quickly, or they wanted to make sure the majority of their crowd saw the headliners first, I don’t know. In my honest opinion, it wasn’t the strongest band to close the night out.
That’s not to take away from the band, however. Glass Halo, in my mind has a very semi-punkish feel to them. Their chords are very fast paced, and I don’t recall seeing more than just power chords. The drum beat throughout was very simple, and I felt lost in the fact that after seeing some wonderful stage shows that this band didn’t get into the act as much. I didn’t dislike the show, but it was by far the weakest point in the night. Some of the harmonies were very well done and shocked me at points. However, the lack of a good stage presence detached me from the rest of the show.
Overall, I would say that it was a very good night of music. Some bands that performed made me wonder why they hadn’t hit it huge yet – or at least mainstream. The crowd was very decent, and for my first concert at The Vogue, it definitely wasn’t a disappointment. I would highly recommend anyone to see these bands if they’re in your local area. I’m sure you too will not be disappointed.
[...] Rock Vs. Rock Review [...]