remembering the last thing she said to me.

Burgeoning DC band, Tennis System, put on an epic show Wednesday night at the Velvet Lounge. I liked the psychedelic recordings queued before each song and the strobe lighting to set the atmosphere. Elements like extreme energy, noise, and volume made for a lasting impression, as it was my first time seeing them perform. It was hard to even see guitarist Drake Eidson's hand strumming the guitar because of the visual effects and intensity. Bassist Clinton Cole had his back to the audience for many of the tracks, adding to the surreal vibe. Tennis System successfully combine noise rock and melodic vocals with psychedelia and just a hint of shoegaze. I particularly liked "Esoteric" and "The Web." It was during that final track where singer/guitarist Matty Taylor catapulted off the stage and really brought everything full-circle. I look forward to the There Comes A Time EP.


U.S. Royalty are always reliable for putting on a good show. Even though I've seen them many times, the addition of some newer songs and a cover made for an interesting performance. Matthew Hemerlein joined them on a Talking Heads track called "This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)". His violin really added a new sound to the group and this was my favorite of what they played. They closed with "Winter Wind," a track that showcased each member's talents and showed that U.S. Royalty just keep getting better. They stated that they are spending time writing, which means there's much more to come in the future.

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