Slaughter Beach, Dog frontman Jake Ewald exclaimed the group “sure as hell felt like a band” at its live performance in Thalia Hall Sunday night time.
The viewers might clearly affirm Ewald’s feeling, which he expressed in a monologue about not all the time feeling like a authentic musician and songwriter. On the Chicago cease of its “Crying, Laughing, Waving, Smiling” tour, Slaughter Beach, Dog certain as hell gave the impression of a band.
Before the five-member Philadelphia-based rock band took the stage, Thalia Hall welcomed two members of other trio Bonny Doon, Bill Lennox and Bobby Colombo. Their music was lovely, stuffed with guitar riffs and intimate lyrics that prepped the gang for Slaughter Beach, Dog — however their stage presence left one thing to be desired. Their low power and restricted crowd interplay didn’t get the viewers excited, and I started to fret Slaughter Beach, Dog can be equally missing.
Thankfully, Ewald and his crew quelled my fears with their first track. They opened with “My Sister in Jesus Christ,” an upbeat tune from their latest album “Crying, Laughing, Waving, Smiling.” The entire crowd sang as Ewald and bassist Ian Farmer danced alongside and made faces at each other.
They adopted with a rendition of “Strange Weather,” which highlighted pianist Logan Roth’s abilities in a jazzy solo. The subsequent songs, all fan favorites off their 2017 album “Birdie,” continued to function lengthy instrumental interludes — all of which showcased guitarist Adam Meisterhans because the instrumental star.
Though Meisterhans shone probably the most in technical expertise, every band member performed a component in crafting this masterful efficiency. Farmer, Roth and drummer Zack Robbins all performed off one another’s power through the instrumentals, making it really feel as if the viewers was fortunate sufficient to get a glimpse right into a breakthrough brainstorming session.
Ewald, musically and personality-wise, served as the proper frontman. He switched between electrical and acoustic guitars, with a short stint on a harmonica and several other intimate moments with only a microphone. In between songs, he joked with the viewers and his bandmates, telling tales behind songs or expressing gratitude to be on the stage. In response to a fan’s name of, “I love you,” Ewald responded merely, “We love you, too. It’s a two-way street, man.” He then started to strum the primary notes of fan favourite love track, “Acolyte.”
Songs like “Acolyte” and “Bad Beer” had the entire crowd shouting the lyrics. Slower, lesser recognized tunes like “I’m in Love” and “Do You Understand (What Has Happened to You)” felt extra just like the viewers was hanging onto each phrase of Ewald’s lyrical sermons as he stood at an altar of beaming coloured lights and improvised guitar riffs. The combine of those two vibes made for the proper live performance expertise.
During “Are You There,” Ewald sang, “Is there anyone in the audience currently living in vain?” as he and the band slowly raised their palms, adopted by many members of the gang. It was a unifying and great second within the present.
But with their camaraderie, endearing humility and musical instinct, Slaughter Beach, Dog ensured that for at the very least an hour on Sunday night time, nobody at Thalia Hall was “living in vain.”
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