_{By Michael Luce}

As many of my closest friends will tell you, I hate the cold and love live music. I assure you it is the music scene, not the weather, that is (literally) the reason I still live here. So despite the fact that I was not a fan of going outside in the dropping temperatures, I mustered up my resolve and braved the (honestly not that cold) November chill to find my way to The Boardwalk for Battle of the Bands night two. And you know what? It was totally worth it.

A Few Feet High

It’s always disappointing for technical difficulties to play a part in a show, but its the absolute worst at Battle of the Bands. Despite a total and utter failure from one of the group’s amps, A Few Feet High managed to string together a pretty solid set. The group had a naturally fun vibe, and they felt like the kind of guys you’d encounter jamming together, just having a good time in a garage somewhere. Their sound is hard to describe, but they toyed around with all things indie and rock, and at one point the guitar tone made me swear there was a trombone borrowed from ska in there too (though maybe I’ve just been listening to too much Glue Coast recently).

Unfortunately, I think the amp failure early in the set proved to be an uphill climb a few feet too high for A Few Feet High last night. I’m not sure if it was from knob-twisting during the diagnostic process or what, but the guitar tones never quite felt like they fit into each other, and the arrangement felt muddy throughout. I’m sure with a bit more practice and a lot less panic though this group could put together an awesome set.

One suggestion for all bands who find themselves plagued by technical issues onstage: use it to your advantage! This is a great time to earn points with the audience with banter, silly stories, or just general stage confidence. Easier said than done, I know, but it’s better than just avoiding eye contact with the whole crowd until you’re up and rocking again.

Venus Death Trap

For the second time in as many days, the opening riff of “The Star-Spangled Banner” rang out at The Boardwalk. However, this time it was mangled, distorted, angry, and was not performed in its entirety (and thus did not warrant a deduction). Instead, Venus Death Trap used the riff much like Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock — as a crying and wailing protest to the world.

This group is as punk as I think I’ve seen in the area. One of the other judges commented that they wouldn’t sound out of place in a modern Brit-punk lineup across the pond. This expletive-laced set was genuinely so much fun. The group wasn’t the tightest, the vocals from lead singer Sophi weren’t the cleanest, and the composition wasn’t the most groundbreaking thing I’d ever heard, but that was definitely the point. It was broken, bruised, and brash — aka awesome, true, authentic punk down to its core.

That angst and punk spirit overflowed a bit though, as halfway through the whole band took a pause to deliver a (surprisingly level-headed) message about their frustrations with the world. As heartfelt and raw as it was, it did unfortunately cause the momentum of the group’s set to sag a bit. Despite their untethered emotions running wild in each track, it felt almost like they didn’t trust their music and performance to convey that raw sense of hurt and anger with the audience without addressing it explicitly. But when you’re screaming about your battle to be seen “as a real f***ing human being,” you need to trust that the music is working, because it absolutely is.

I guess though there aren’t many things more punk than an anti-establishment rant in the middle of one of the very few concerts with rules, so I’ll give them credit for that. Also, brownie points for promoting hearing protection at concerts. Hearing loss is not very punk.

Dog Years

Almost immediately after Dog Years took the stage, the temperature in the room spiked because the crowd was jumping EVERYWHERE. The band was also everywhere, as they were the first group to have multiple members really utilize the space of the stage. Dog Years had a great blend of that typical Midwest emo guitar work with a bit more modern emo mixed in there, plus a tiny bit of math rock. It’s a compelling mix complete with tapping guitar and one of the nastiest breakdowns I’ve heard in some time, and the band was good at what they did.

Speaking of which, one of the best things this band did was be totally awkward. Dog Years absolutely won over the crowd with their authentic, dorky enthusiasm and unabashed self-awareness. For their ‘merch,’ the group brought a pile of clothes they didn’t want and were giving away for free. They were laughing at themselves just as much as the audience was, and it was never an insecure energy like many Midwest emo bands lean into; it was just a few goofy guys willing to be themselves on stage.

The biggest struggle I had with their performance was that the drums, while tight and exuberant, occasionally overpowered the more delicate guitar and bass lines, as well as lead singer Rex’s vocals. I loved the energy and excitement, but too much of a good thing is too much of a good thing.

Scarlett Letter

To round out our variety night of rock, Scarlett Letter closed out the evening with a sound akin to a Red Hot Chili Peppers and Rage Against The Machine lovechild. The group was high-energy and somehow gave the punks a run for their money of being the rowdiest, most aggressive group to perform that night. They ticked all the classic showman boxes — guitar solos behind the head, funky time signatures — and hit the audience with well arranged, strongly written tunes. You know it’s a good time when you see a huge chunk of crowd headbanging.

While I think this dedication and showmanship was one of the group’s biggest strengths, I think it also contributed to some struggles Scarlett Letter faced. With so much energy getting expended through the performance, the musicianship started to suffer a bit. For example, lead singer Connor Andrus was often out of breath, leading to off-kilter harmonies and missed vocal lines here and there. Or the beginning of the set where it took a while for the members to settle into their groove. For a regular show, that sort of energy is infectious and powerful, but for BotB, finding that balance can be what sets a group apart from the rest. (I’m admittedly a bit of a broken record though, as I tend to comment on this sort of thing a lot.)

At the end of their set, it was clear the group gave it their all and left the stage on empty, which is always commendable. I could totally see these guys rocking a lineup with other more showy groups like Homestyle Dinner Rolls, and I’m looking forward to their opening track “Forever” getting an official release!

Results

As normal, The Boardwalk delivered another excellent night of hard-hitting local music, but only one band could stand triumphant at the end of the night. After the votes were all tallied up, Dog Years was announced as the winner of night two!

Dog Years moves on and will face The Drought and the winners of nights three and four at finals this Saturday, November 9. Night three of The Boardwalk’s Fall 2024 Battle of the Bands continues tonight with Daisychain, Cougar Gold, Staycation, and Lunar Spirit. Doors open at 6:30 PM and music starts at 7. Who knows? Maybe the national anthem will make an unprecedented third appearance at at Battle of the Bands too.

While you wait, check out “Kiss Me Better” by Scarlett Letter!