Images: The Speed Of Sound In Seawater, Apex Of Apathy, Oranges and more January 6, 2014 at the Eagle Aerie Hall

When bands whose sound is as intricate and versatile as The Speed of Sound in Seawater come to your town, it’s a must-see. YouTube videos definitely don’t do the actual live show justice.

Unfortunately I found out about this particular show a little late and due to work, I missed the first few bands on the night’s stacked bill. So Oranges was the first band I saw take the stage and they pulled off a fun, smooth set overcoming a less than ideal situation in having a sick lead singer – Parker Hunt. Before long, The Abstract Giraffe was due up. I’d never listened to them but their set was great, with a lot of classic rock riffs. Their Facebook lists The Beatles, Pink Floyd and Jimi Hendrix as influences – and they inserted considerable funk to that mix all the way through. Apex of Apathy has been busy playing shows around town lately, and it shows in their poise on stage. Playing under a neon blue light that gave their set an eerie feel, they played a polished, fluid set mixing aggression with winding melodies. As the clock struck nine, the crowd migrated toward the stage to see the main attraction from California.

The Speed of Sound in Seawater is fresh off their fantastic album First Contact so I was glad they played one of my favorites from that early in their set. “Anyanka” is almost a three-part song as far as pace and tempo go, so it was cool seeing that amount of range right off the bat. Frontman Damien Verrett has a very unique voice and all the guitar chops in the world. The three-piece group was in perfect harmony the whole time while they ran through an eclectic set, striking a nice balance between their trademark riffs and great sense of melody. “To Kelly Lee” is a standout from the album which really got the crowd moving, and the track also resonated surprisingly well on stage, even the slow, semi-acoustic intro. “Opassa’s Grotto” offered a nice funky respite in the middle of the action right before they finished the night out with “The Oddest Sea,” the first single and flagship song on First Contact. If The Speed of Sound in Seawater come to your neck of the woods, pay what you need to to see them perform, you won’t be disappointed.

–Felipe Garcia

Photos by Hunter Wallace | https://www.flickr.com/photos/hunter_wallace/