Last night, four bands and three DJs performed at The Open Lot, and all of them had the right to feel skeptical about the turn out. After all, what is The Open Lot? Where did it come from? How long has it been here? Furthermore, what is JR/SR? Who was behind the party? The whole thing seemed to out of nowhere and nothing.
But after last night I have to say that everyone was convinced that The Open Lot is an awesome venue. There’s plenty of space for a couple hundred partiers to dance and mingle, ample parking (though I suggest they cut the waist-high grass), and a staff that is cooperative and just as excited as the partiers themselves. And best of all, it’s right be the railroad tracks, so noise complaints are nothing to worry about.
So what went down? If you got there when the doors opened at 9, you were lucky enough to be greeted by lights, balloons, dance tunes provided by DJ DigiRob – who not only played from 9 – 10, but provided the jams between band – and most importantly, a short line at the cash bar. (Round of applause for the three bar tenders who cured everyone’s thirst last night).
At ten o’clock, Grass Mountain (shameless plug) played their first show. Donned in white tops, white bottoms and solid black shoes, the group powered through their garage-punk-country-psychedelic tunes at faster-than-rehearsed speeds. It was energetic, and the crowd was receptive and ready to jive.
By eleven o’clock, Fly Golden Eagle jumped on stage and gripped the crowd. The lead singer (also the rhythm guitar player for Majestico) has a great knack for laying a melody over simple rhythms, and the keyboardist compliments him well. At times they were grooving and repetitive (in a good way), and at other times they were loose and free. By this time, the crowd – probably as skeptical as the bands – was beginning to realize how much fun was in store for the rest of the night.
DJ DigiRob provided the crowd with some hits while Fly Golden Eagle tore down and Majestico (above photo) set up. Once complete, Majestico hit us with funky screams and sparkling keys. The lead singer let his hair down (literally) and at times sang along, in full falsetto, to his own solos – hilarious and bizarrely musical. It was a treat to hear the colorful solos and melodies bouncing off the walls and into the respective eardrums of the audience. During their set, the crowd peaked in capacity, and you could begin to sense that this party was for real.
The last band to go on was Secret Name. They announced that this would be their last show – their drummer will be moving to Michigan soon – which is sad because they’re a great band. Only three musicians are in the band, but they know how to fill up a room with sound. Their drummer is technically proficient, showing his skills on a minimal kit; the lead singer has a strong voice and a keen sense for rhythm and dynamics, and she’s also the bass player, often playing non-root notes, which compensates for the lack of instrumentation in the band. And the best part is that they have a keytarist. Everyone loves a keytarist. In jest I yelled to the band, just before they started playing, "Is that a guitar or a keyboard!?" To my left, a large bearded man leaned over and said in my ear, "it’s a keytar." The joke was lost on him.
By two in the morning, DJs Potamus and Justin Kase took over. They took turns cranking out the tunes, inviting people on stage behind them, and taking advantage of everyone’s inebriated nature and need for hard hitting beats. They played for a little over an hour and the crowd ate it up. The two really work well together, maybe we’ll see them working in tandem more often.
In closing, thanks to JR/SR for throwing a great party, and thanks to Open Lot for offering up their venue. Grass Mountain, Fly Golden Eagle, Majestico and Secret Name, as well as DJs Potamus and Justin Kase were all impressed by the turn out, and can’t wait to be a part of next months festivities at another Open Lot presents JR/SR bash. – Fletcher Watson