Local Music News

Artist: Sun Spots

Venue: WUOG Lobby

Date: September 7, 2010

Setlist:

1. Relative Patterns

2. Bones

3. Rest Yr Brain

4. Collectin Specimens

5. Chambers of the Sea

Sun Spots went on at a little after eight, subsequent to the WUOG Informational session held upstairs in the Tate center. Their first song , “Relative Patterns,” was loud and energetic, immediately filing the small WUOG Lobby with resonant volume. Unfortunately, technical problems early on prevented lead singer and guitarist Will Weber’s voice from being heard until the next song. Their second song, “Bones,” wasn’t too different from their first. The drums cracked and cymbals shattered while bassist Will Cantrells homemade speaker cabinet woofed over them. Weber’s simple guitar lines moved up and down the fretboard in quick but groovy patterns and provided a base for his high, almost screamed, falsetto vocals to dance on top. Meanwhile, Ryan Houchen’s bursting, at times over the top, drum fills evoked intensity reminiscent of Keith Moon and complemented the energetic vocals of Weber. At one point during their third song, “Rest Yr Brain,” which featured a nasally, distorted keyboard in place of guitar, Cantrell struggled to keep up with the drummers stampede-pace and casually leaned over to tell him “Slow it down.”  He got the message and the rest of the song moved at a more leisurely pace.

None the less, it was an energetic performance from a band whose sound is both loud and likable.  I look forward to hearing more from them in the future.

Sun Spots play with The Caste on September 25^th at New Earth Music Hall.

-Bradford Charles Olsen