_{By Zach Collier}

There are few things more satisfying to me than seeing a line for Velour wrap around 200 block. And while there are few things less fun than standing in that line on a cold December night, the music was so good I’d stand in that line again a million times just to experience what I did last night again. It was a night where Mountainwest Emo and Provocore reigned supreme; a clear signal that the folk-pop and synth rock days of the 2010s Provo scene are over.

Last night’s lineup was absolutely stacked. I’ve never been to a Velour Battle of the Bands Finals where I’d either 1) known every band on the bill or 2) been a fan of every single band on the bill. In this case, both things were true. I highly encourage our readers to check out Sabrina Fair, Sage Lane, Just Khakis, CAYSN, and Wilbere. I’ve not only seen each of these guys live several times, but I’ve spent a lot of one-on-one time with them in various settings. They’re great people; top-notch musicians; and all deserving of a packed house. Thanks for showing up last night, Provo.

Sabrina Fair

Sabrina Fair kicked off the night with a mid tempo anthem, with massive toms and a solid backbeat. The heavy kick on the choruses scratched an itch in my brain I’ve had since pop punk went out of vogue. 

But Sabrina Fair isn’t pop punk. She sits in that growing, accessible mainstream female-fronted rock space that’s been growing in popularity over the last few years. Her music is for fans of Charlotte Sands, Taylor Acorn, and Olivia Rodrigo. Local fans of Beeson would also love Sabrina Fair. 

Much has been said about the Astle family and how talented they are. But the talent extends far beyond mere technical ability. I’d argue their real talent is in songwriting and arranging. The bass work, the trumpet, and the harmonies between Sabrina, Collette, and Max were perfectly executed. Nowhere was the quality of the vocals more apparent than on their exposed acoustic numbers, which (incredibly) were added at the last minute after their older brother and lead guitarist Dylan fell ill.

The fact that these guys were playing this well a man down is truly, truly remarkable. Sabrina took the relatable, charismatic, authentic frontwoman approach to smooth out transitions between songs, and it worked. I loved this set from start to finish. Everything about it.

Sage Lane

I’ve been a fan of Sage Lane for a long, long time. “Clementine” is one of the best songs to come out of Provo and one of the foundational staples of Provocore, and I will die on this hill. Their performance of the track last night was absolutely electric, and they had every member of the crowd singing along.

I wrote about Sage Lane back when they played The Boardwalk Spring 2023 Battle of the Bands. I loved them then, but they’ve grown by leaps and bounds since. Both the lead vocals and the gang vocals were more heartfelt and melodic; the guitar solos were more furious; the tones were more dialed in; the breakdowns hit harder; and all around, these guys were really locked in. Even their newer material was impressive. “She got a bright sweater for the turtleneck weather just to go with the ripped black jeans” is one of the catchiest lyrics I’ve heard in a while. I love a band that knows how to use internal rhyme schemes.

Sage Lane didn’t come to mess around. They put on a SHOW, man. The songs flowed from one to the next – some with near-seamless transitions. They even figured out how to fix the biggest issue with their Spring BOTB performance – saving their heaviest song for the very end for an absolutely epic climax. It was the kind of set that made me envious. Sage Lane, if you need a keyboard player, I got u.

Just Khakis

I’m so happy that blue eyed soul is alive and well in Provo. Frontman Christian Affleck is one h*ck of a performer, and his backing band is every bit his equal. The new track they wrote as a collaboration with LONELY GHOST was a particular standout, with the horns and keys working overtime in the best way. If last night had a specific award for technical instrumental prowess, Just Khakis would take that in a heartbeat.

If there was one thing I wish Just Khakis would do, it’s dial it down a touch. The energy is electric, it’s infectious, but I wish there was a little more time to breathe. In some cases, quite literally. There were moments when Christian was visibly out of breath. While it’s quite impressive that his vocals were near-flawless despite the excessive cardio, I couldn’t help but think the set would be easier to appreciate of there was some dynamic variation.

“Girl From the Movies” came closest to this, with an arrangement that featured sparse verses – but even then it still it had an energy range of Mezzo Forte to Fortissimo. This abundance of energy feels out of control at times – frantic even – which is ironic given the immense technical control they have over their instruments. If Just Khakis can figure out how to establish as much control over their set’s energy as they do over their instruments, they’re going to be a force to be reckoned with.

Regardless, I really, really enjoyed their set. I wish they were gigging in the mid 2010s, because they would’ve killed it alongside The Strike, Motion Coaster, Roadie, etc.

CAYSN

CAYSN can’t miss, bro.

I could end my review there and you’d get the point. But homies. Like, listen tho.

These guys write future Top 40 hits. Provocore is entering the zeitgeist at the moment due to the standout work of The Backseat Lovers and Cardinal Bloom, but CAYSN is going to be the band that wins the genre a h*ckin Grammy.

Watching them last night was like watching a historic moment. It looked effortless. It felt effortless. Everything from their unison hits and their face melting guitar solos to Caysen Wright’s soaring high notes and meandering journey to every elevated corner of Velour during their slow song was iconic. The whole thing was just epic.

Full transparency, CAYSN was my pick for the night. I’ve never once awarded a band 50 points out of 50, but these guys are the first. They were my pick for last night’s winner.

Wilbere

Wilbere lives at the intersection of Provocore and Mountainwest Emo. They’ve got twinkly, shoegazey/post-rock tones undergirded by breakdowns and a healthy layer of grit and distortion, but all the compositional hallmarks of Provocore: tempo shifts, unison hits, extended soli sections, and lots of punctuated silence. They’re the dark, introspective side of the genre – and that set them apart from CAYSN and Sage Lane.

“Old Blood” is my JAM, and their performance of that song last night was one of my favorites of the evening. Even though their stuff is catchy as fr*ck, Wilbere is thinking man’s music. It’s more mathy and intricate than Sage Lane and CAYSN’s approaches. It’s emotional and highly cinematic. This isn’t a bad thing by any means – but, at least to me, I would’ve liked to see at least one more hook-heavy song like “Old Blood” in their set to keep things accessible and relatable. That being said, any criticisms of Wilbere are just a matter of preference, not of quality.

These guys went hard. It’s accurate to say that Wilbere closed out the night in epic fashion.

Results

This was quite possibly the best Battle of the Bands Final in Velour history. And although any of these bands could’ve taken the win, like Highlander, there can only be one. At the end of the night, Cardinal Bloom’s Joey St. John took the stage to announce the winner: Wilbere.

What a night. To everyone who caught up with us all week, thank you for reading. Make sure to follow Velour Live Music Gallery on Instagram. We’ll see you in the spring for another Battle of the Bands.