1 of 5 Guest Blogs By: Nicolas Perkins
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| The Halvsies (source: fb) |
Nic Powers fronts a stellar lineup for The Sweep's Comet residency in November. The Comet does residencies for bands on Tuesdays with a new band every month. It's a great concept because the resident band gets to pick their openers, which is great for good chemistry at the shows. Halvsies opened the night and brought some strong energy, with Joe Suer doing his usual heavy drumming. Honestly when I first saw them I didn't think their, singer, Maria Seda-Reeder, had quite found her voice yet, but what a difference a few months makes man cause she was on it at this show. Their dual vocal songs with Yusef Quotah doing the back vocals are my favorites. They harmonize just like they should and then that bass kicks in from Stephen Streit, who is the rock solid foundation to the melodies with Suer. They are a great rhythm section foundation for the melodic harmonies that Seda-Reeder and Quotah stack on top.
Between sets, I filled my maggot brain with Burger beers and whisky. Toss back a whisky, chase with Burger, toss back a whisky, chase with Burger. Smoke cigs outside with Nic Pow(ers). Fill the maggot brain full getting ready for The Sweep's set.
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| The Sweep (source: fb) |
The Sweep owned the audience's attention with their set, which is rare these days. Christmas came in November this year as Brendan Bogosian lays down some seriously good guitar tone, rockin' that Stratocaster to the bank like a boss. And yes, in the interests of full disclosure, I am a gearhead and a Powers fan, love his other project, New Strange, too. The Sweep's set blew me away. Joe Klug, of Wussy fame, slayed the drum kit with some backing vocals as well and Glen May filled in the rhythm well on bass poking that Rickenbacker bass. Powers finished the set with a stirring encore. I could have watched them play a second encore and you know Powers has the songs, he writes new hooks constantly. This is an entirely new lineup/set for The Sweep but you wouldn't know it cause they looked veterans. And they are veterans of the Cincinnati music scene. Bogosian has played with the Tigerlillies for years and May picks that Richenbacker with The Hiders, a Neil Young-ish sounding group.
Powers has a new record coming out featuring the old version of The Sweep, which, oddly enough, included Halvsies drummer Joe Suer. Powers told me the record will be coming out for a subscription based service, called _____, that puts out independent bands records. Unlike most labels, the bands get to retain the rights to their music, which is a godsend for independent bands.
You can check out some work from The Sweep here:
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/thesweep
and The Halvsies here:
http://halvsies.bandcamp.com/
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The Comet (source: fb)
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