A rockin' night at the pony

By Karlee Lewis

From 9 p.m. Tuesday to midnight, The Golden Pony in Downtown Harrisonburg was alive with the sounds of alternative, indie and post-hardcore live music. The four bands on the bill for the night represented the eastern United States, coming from Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Although the bands were similar in overall genre and sound, they each had their own unique factors that set them apart.

The night began with the Richmond post-hardcore group called Eaves. They powered through a five-song set, featuring loud guitar and strong screaming vocals. They exuberated tons of energy on the small stage as they hopped and kicked around, while still managing to keep the music going. Eaves hyped up the crowd for the three bands that followed, and they stuck around for the rest of the night to watch the show.

Shortly after, the second band was Pennsylvania native Young and Restless. Their sound was similar to Eaves’ in the fact that it featured loud instrumentals, but the vocals more closely resembled pop-punk. The combination lead to a hype second act, and the crowd showed approval by jamming along. There was also a strong backing vocalist, which further cut through the powerful instrumentals. Between songs, the band kept the audience engaged with humor and relatable quotes as they prepared for the next track. Despite technical difficulties, they only had to cut the set one song short before wrapping up and getting ready for the third act of the night.

Columbus-based Everyone Leaves was the third artist of the night. The five-piece group also played heavy alternative rock, with their unique feature being the female backing vocalist whose voice clearly stood out against the powerful instrumentals and three other male singers. The band began their set with new music before going back to some older material, which the audience seemed to know well. The lead singer broke up the set by joking with the crowd about politics and making everyone laugh.  

As it got later, the crowd didn’t let up as they welcomed the final act, a local group called Bloom. By far the heaviest band of the night, this group showed tons of energy in their booming vocals and stage appearance. It was apparent that the group has acquired a following in the area, since the crowd showed enthusiasm and some were even wearing merchandise from the band. The group powered through a 30-minute set and finished the night off strongly.

 

For more information on The Golden Pony, visit:

www.goldenponyva.com

 

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