Author: Jack Swanson
“I don't have enough good things to say”. Those are the exact words I wrote in my notes when I was listening to Slothrust absolutely kill it on stage at the High Noon Saloon this past Tuesday (10/23/18). The show was incredible from start to finish, supported by the show's openers: Heavy Looks and Mannequin Pussy.
Slothrust on stage at High Noon Saloon (photo credit: Jack Swanson)
Heavy Looks–the Madison-based quartet–opened the show with their edgy alternative sound. They featured an energetic stage presence while mixing various musical styles, creating a varied and enjoyable listening experience. While I thoroughly enjoyed every song they played, my personal favorite was “Halloween.”
Next up on stage were the Philadelphians of Mannequin Pussy, who displayed their signature hard-hitting sound and head-banging energy throughout their performance. I was really regretting the fact that I had forgotten to bring earplugs to this one, but oh well. The crowd was all for the grunge, as I lost count of the number of people throwing their hands and heads side-to-side with the beat. Their live performance of “Romantic” was my favorite of the set.
After Mannequin Pussy left the stage, the anticipation for Slothrust to fill the room with sound was palpable. They played a short intro, from where they dove into a truly spectacular set. They performed some fan favorites such as “Double Down”, “The Haunting”, and “Crockpot”, but mixed in some unique and amusing aspects. At one point–much to the delight of the crowd–they decided to play a cover of Brittany Spears' “…Baby One More Time.” Later, the vocalist/guitarist Leah Wellbaum left the stage so that bassist Kyle Bann and drummer Will Gorin could perform a ‘90s compilation which sent the audience into an absolute frenzy.
The performance never seemed to hit a lull as I have experienced in many other concerts. The band consistently dished out great sound with technical proficiency, and they performed songs with a variety of influences, making each one more entertaining than the last. What I mean by this is that they didn't just play the same style of music for each song, one after another, but showed off their ability to take jazz and blues influences to a new level.
Towards the end of the set, Bann moved to keys for a bit (again, keeping things interesting) and the band performed some of my favorites. They ended on “Crockpot” to much applause, and thus finished a great performance. To sum it up in one word: fun. Slothrust's musical abilities and energy were constantly entertaining from start to finish. My favorites: “Magnets pt. 2”, “Planetarium”, and their new song “Birthday Cake”.
