Not to mimic everything Kevin and everyone else said in the other Lies, Inc. thread, but I think the band's really taken a great stride with the new line-up. I thought it was some of Dax's best guitar playing that I've ever heard, and of course, Kent and Ron are the rythmn section from hell. Everything was tight between them, right down to the 32nd note. Lilly's added a new dimension to the band. Some bands add a female karaoke princess as a gimmick to boost their draw, but that's not the case with this band. Lilly's the real deal and seemed right at home singing Lies' technical rock. The new tunes sounded great, and Dax has seriously established himself as one of the most interesting local riff engineers.
After Lies' set, Kent and I procured some tastey suds and took seats at the rear pool table to groove on Rain Must Fall. I still think these guys and gal are one of Altoona's best kept secrets. It's great to see a young band that can A). actually play their instruments, and B). project stage presence and not stare at their feet for an entire gig, totally devoid of any personality. The original material is well written and executed. The covers were played with moxie and conviction. Oh how many times I've watched a band pour their heart and soul into performing their originals and then phone it in for their cover material. That's not the case here. Also, as a child of the 90s, I appreciated all of the alternative rock for the cover selections. Most of the modern rock bands around will dip into the 90s catalog a little bit, but there really aren't any bands around with a heavy 90s rock catalog (in other words, Dave P. would appreciate this band
). This is all just my opinion, for what it's worth. If you're looking for something good and something different then I totally suggest you check out these bands.
Also, major props to Steve for not being afraid to mic a bass cabinet rather than take a vanilla pre-EQ DI for the house.
