Jarring Album Premier Show 9/8/17

This past Friday night in Urbana, local self-proclaimed emo-punk act Jarring debuted their first full-length album, and along for the ride was a slew of great opening acts from the Champaign-Urbana area and beyond. Opening for Jarring came Terribly Happy, Spandrels, and Puzzlequest in that order. Each brought their own sound and spirit to the show.Peoria based group, Terribly Happy,  opened with a distinct atmosphere for the show. Led by energetic and angsty vocals, the audience followed the dynamic band into the night. The air was filled with excellent guitar riffs and inspired rhythms. Terribly Happy are an unmistakably creative group and a force to be reckoned with, so watch out for them in the future of the Peoria-Bloomington-Champaign DIY scene. Their most recent album Wanchu! is available online.Indy-Urbana based act Spandrels was the second performance of the night. They brought along noisy strings and searing vocals reminiscent of I Had the Blues but I Shook them Loose era Bombay Bicycle Club. Their sound didn't change much from song to song, but there's something to be said for consistency and injecting a contrast of sound to the show as a whole. Their upcoming album is close to completion, so stay tuned for demos releasing in the very near future. The last opening act to perform was Puzzlequest. Based out of Urbana, they will have been together for a year this Halloween. Warm vocals and a cool laid back air highlighted their set. They brought a rebellious vibe which fits snugly within the theme of the night. Puzzle Quest's show was the ideal segway into the night's main event... Jarring was the highly publicized star of the night, as this show marked the release of their album S/T. Their songs had a rowdy and exciting chord progression that looked to be the crowd favorite. The group's evolution from an indie rock sound to their current emo punk vibe was made apparent in their multifaceted sound. The band had a synergistic charm that only a group with substantial chemistry could achieve. Jarring wrapped up the night with a smattering of covers that included the likes of the Killers and Modern Baseball, much to the delight of the swelling crowd. Their live performance was vibrant and the album is surely worth a listen for all new music lovers. Pizza FM and Spotify both play host to a compilation of their songs.Overall, the show was a triumph in which several deserving acts gained glory and exposure. The night rattled on without a single dull moment, a sure sign of good things to come for this year's music scene in Champaign-Urbana.