Come For A Pair of Bands, Get a Pair More
There are musicians from the first song you know that you just want to keep listening to after. On a tour last year with Lawrence Arms and Red City Radio, there was a solo musician called Sincere Engineer. She came out with not only catchy and well written verses, but an honest stage presence that played well with the Phoenix crowd. She is one of those musicians that you look forward to catching once you’ve heard her. This time around she brought her full band alongside co-headliners Heart Attack Man, Rome Hero Foxes, and the talents of our local Troubled Minds opening it.
Without a doubt, Troubled Minds the high energy, fun band you want at the beginning of your show. Their sound leans pop punk and with angst in the lyrics. Matt’s vocals remind me a little of Pierre Bouvier, of a Simple Plan. Matt was looking unafraid to move away from the mic between verses to jam on his guitar.
Most of the band had the same infectious energy to move to their songs. It has been a little while since I last caught Troubled Minds, but with this night’s performance it is clear they continue to get better.
Then the first of two bands I entered unfamiliar with, Rome Hero Foxes. These guys lean more in an indie rock, but bring with a pop sound that gets the head moving to it. A little slower than Troubled Minds with the indie rock influence why, but that was okay.
They had a friendly stage demeanor with the crowd between songs. I was pleasantly surprised by what Rome Hero Foxes brought to the Phoenix stage.
Following them was the first time I would see Sincere Engineer with her usual band. First thing I noticed were they shared a common personality, a happy go lucky stage presence. Despite a broken string early, Deanna took it in stride with jokes and cheering up from her bandmates. Like last time, she had an ongoing, almost personal conversation with the audience. This helped, in addition to her band, as they spouted supportive remarks in the few moments she got flustered.
The addition of the full band makes the songs sound a little less folk, and more to the rock of her album recordings. Closer to the Midwest punk sounds of the previously mentioned Lawrence Arms and a little Jeff Rosenstock. With a band or without, Sincere Engineer makes for one of the most authentic musicians I’ve watched on a stage.
Last was the other of the co-headliners and bands I went in blind, Heart Attack Man. They returned us to the more pop punk leanings we started out the night with. They moved around that stage with flair to the songs, jumping and dancing whenever there were no vocals. They reminded me of the Frights as I watched them perform.
It was clear they were happy getting the opportunity to perform these songs to us. If I had to ask them, I’d wager this is them living their dream by watching how they held themselves during the set. Heart Attack Man was an excellent way to close out this night of music at the Rebel Lounge.
