Set up by The Workday Release’s David Ottestad, this concert was an extra show added to House of Heroes tour. I wasn’t sure if this show was a part of the official tour listing, and the small turnout made it feel like a private show.
Only about four Biola students attended the concert on Oct. 26 at North Hills Church in Brea, and the entire crowd didn’t break sixty people. The building felt very new and clean –– almost too clean for a concert venue.
There were several merchandise booths set up in the corners of the wide, carpeted stage room. The dim lighting was flat and there was no smoke machine or any bells and whistles. Nevertheless, every band played a spirited show for the small crowd of fans in the intimate worship room.
Opening bands include alternative rock and some 70’s influences
Fight the Current, a young, unsigned act, warmed up the crowd with their destined-for-tooth-and-nail brand of alternative rock. The Workday Release, a band familiar to Biola, performed for a very enthusiastic audience — in fact, they seemed to be the sole purpose for which most of the crowd had come.
Goatee Record’s Abandon Kansas followed up with a very energetic set of tracks from their new record. Their singer looked straight from the 70’s, complete with yellow tinted glasses. He did a good job of keeping up with his dancing guitarist, who remarkably resembles Jack White, and boasts some legitimate dance skills along with his shredding.
The Classic Crime ignites crowd
As The Classic Crime gathered to the stage, the crowd came back from their break and the show resumed with the band’s charging chords, igniting a mini mosh-pit. Recently, they have pushed for more of a Foo Fighters brand of rock, and vocalist Matt MacDonald is able to channel the grit and aggression the sound needs. It’s MacDonald’s pipes that drive the band’s sound and appeal; however, the band shares a cohesive drive.
With heavy hits, drummer Skip Erickson laid down a solid rhythmic atmosphere. Guitarist Robbie Negrin may be the band’s pretty boy, but he didn’t just stand there posing.
Along with new material, the band played a selection from their debut “Albatross,” and even a song from their acoustic tribute to their hometown, the “E.P. Seattle Sessions.”
House of Heroes successfully breaks genre rules
The band I really came to see was House of Heroes. They don’t write songs in the traditional radio-friendly format, and the selections played from their acclaimed “The End is Not the End” showcased their Queen influence in surprising musical twists.
Themed albums are difficult to pull off, but House of Heroes accomplished two: the war-influenced “The End…” and their most recent “Suburba,” which is a chronicle of life in the outer city community and an ode to the modern societal everyman.
They have single-handedly breathed life into their subdivision of upbeat alternative rock by breaking every rule of the genre. Many of their colleagues cite artists like Queen, The Beatles and The Beach Boys as influences –– but House of Heroes is among the precious few that actually sounds remotely like their influences, and pulls off their sound in an honorable and unique way.
Heroes performs to dwindling crowd
Even so, the room was emptier than ever during their sound-check. By the time they hit the stage to perform, most people had gone home. Undaunted, front man Tim Skipper announced they’d be playing and started immediately, without waiting for people to shuffle in. Skipper and guitarist Jared Rigsby’s soaring riffs quickly drew in the forty or so people who remained.
Skipper is one of the most talented and underrated front men in the alternative rock music scene, with formidable vocal chops and the ability to pen quality songs. I was shocked by how well he performed live, because the notes he hits on record seem nearly unheard of.
He doesn’t sing high just because his voice is high (I’m looking at you, Saosin and Circa Survive). Skipper has genuine range. They covered Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” and Skipper aces those notes better than she does. He has an indomitable energy, commanding stage presence, lyrics saturated with conviction, and thick rock’n roll lick on his guitar.
Heroes doesn’t hold back in performance
Although the crowd was small, the band put everything they had into the show, and I found it extremely respectable that they did not save anything for tomorrow. Skipper bravely shot straight for the high notes and pulled them off seemingly without effort. As for his band, they exuberantly reproduced the dynamics captured on their records.
Sadly, I had to leave the show in the middle of their set, but I was able to see their enthusiasm and how well they replicated their studio sound. It was encouraging to know that a band of their caliber has been untainted by pride, and they showed no partiality to the size or prestige of the venue.
I don’t listen to a whole lot of alternative rock these days, but House of Heroes has kept its place on my playlist, and I was glad to learn that they sound just as good in person. Overall, it was an enjoyable show, featuring great bands for only 10 dollars.
