_{By Mitch Tousley}

Velour welcomed a packed, sold out show yesterday for a truly unforgettable night of music. The line stretched down the block and stayed that way well after doors opened and the show had begun.

Lazy Loners

Kicking off the night was the new and energetic Lazy Loners. Their set opened with a pulsing, tom-driven drum groove. They proved their excitement for the evening quickly and moved into a second song featuring Strokes-style lead guitar and gravely skater kid vocals.

Their fourth song, “Crystal Meth Grandma,” opened with dreamy chords, a change of pace from their previous tunes. Things picked up later in the song, but never quite caught the energy I’d expect from a title like “Crystal Meth Grandma.” It was more the vibe of a teenager sneaking weed into their parent’s shag carpet basement. But it was still great and had excellent vocals and cathartic crescendos.

The next song, “She’s Indifferent,” brought enthusiasm from the crowd, jumping and dancing in unison with the singer’s headbangs during the outro guitar solo. Their closing tune was a fast moving pop-rock adventure – a page right out of The Backseat Lovers’ playbook.

Just Khakis

Following the Lazy loners was Just Khakis. Quite a change of pace from the opening act, Khakis immediately proved that they had serious chops, channeling the energy of Earth, Wind & Fire with their danceable grooves and unmistakable bravado. The vocalist demonstrated ridiculous control of his singing while jumping around in a blazer – not too unlike the famous David Byrne big suit jacket – on the Velour’s notoriously hot and crowded stage.

All their songs were fun and notable, but their fourth song was one of the most danceable tunes I’ve ever heard come out of a Provo-based band and the crowd was all in on it. Their next song saw the band go full-on Rockabilly. It gave each of the members a chance to shine with roaring solos – especially their sax player. The crowd hadn’t had enough. They called for an encore, which the band gave them with immediacy.

The Plastic Cherries

The next band on the lineup was The Plastic Cherries. They opened with a spacey, slow intro, before transitioning into a rock feel reminiscent of the great bands of the ’90s. Their vibes were immaculate, complete with great makeup and outfits and fans holding up homemade stars and moons from the audience.

The guitarist’s tone blended perfectly with their sound while still being wholly unique from the rest of the bands (and I’ll add, his tone was the talk of the town once the show ended). Another distinguishing factor The Plastic Cherries had was their… lore? They introduced one of their songs by saying that they had just landed after their cosmic journey at the turn of the century, opening the song with an interpolation of Claire de Lune before transitioning into a swaying ballad that was irresistibly catchy. Combing elements of romantic composition and the sounds of psychedelic rock, this number was unforgettable.

Every band of the night was fun, no doubt, but The Plastic Cherries provided a complete experience that left myself and many of the audience members stunned and deep in thought. Their last song was a raucous rock banger with triumphant arpeggios and hits from the entire band that you felt in your whole body. Everyone on the lineup was great, but the Cherries felt the most whole.

Swerved By Blondes

Concluding the night was Swerved By Blondes. If you’ve ever seen a Swerved show, you know that they come out swinging. Tonight was no exception. During their second song, there was a brief audio hangup that made an important guitar solo hard to hear initially, but once the volume was locked in, it was a shredding solo. Swerved was also fortunate to have perhaps the only instance of the crowd singing along at equal volume of the band, showing the dedication of their fanbase.

Their vocalist brings an infectious energy that’s difficult not to get swept up in. He led the band and audience with a warm and welcoming energy that parallels that of Jack Black’s character in School of Rock. There were many moments where he made Velour look like the inside of a bouncy house: wild jumps with massive air. The last song was an upbeat piece of pop rock that featured the vocalist getting into the crowd and jumping with them before the last chorus.

Result

With such a stacked lineup, every band had a lot to prove. Each act came through in a big way, but The Plastic Cherries were the favorite of night. They will move on to the finals on Saturday. 

Night 4 of Velour’s Summer 2023 Battle of the Bands kicks off tonight at 7:30 PM! Catch Derm, Collette Astle, Local Kin, and Caysen Wright. Tickets are $10 at the door. Make sure to follow The Plastic Cherries on Instagram and check out “Lovers On The Run” below!