Show Recap: Morality Crisis, Gonzo Diablo, Lucid Dreams, Orator
It certainly felt like October at Error Records last night, and with a robust lineup through and through, the venue definitely was starting off the month right. Although the headlining act, From Cities Above, was a no show, it was still a kick-ass time, and shame on you for missing such camaraderie.Orator
These local sludge-heads had the greatest spirits of the night. Orator were the first dudes at the venue, showing up even before I did - being an intern at Error, normally I'm showing up at around 6:30 to set up - and having all of their gear ready to go a whole hour before the show started. Such good spirits they had too; when adjusting their levels, Tyler Day, the fronting member of the group, said to me, "I hope you like lotsa feedback." And there was lots of feedback to be had, as well as heavy 7-string guitar tone, screams that pierced the night, and a bass guitar that suffered the wrath of bassist Tubb McFly's brawn as it succumbed to the floor.Gonzo Diablo
Members of Lucid Dreams had yet to arrive to the venue, so instrumental trio Gonzo Diablo took the stage next. For the 20 minutes they had the spotlight, the three of them did nothing but impress - the drummer executed an array of odd-meter timekeepers and chaotic blast beats while the guitarist and bassist kept up, completing that space-rock sound they promise on their Facebook page. No words were said, nor did they need saying - the music was enough to keep everyone in the room on their toes.Morality Crisis
The one touring band that played the show, Morality Crisis, played the heaviest, most varied set I've ever seen out of a band, and they definitely proved their versatility. The band comes from Minneapolis, but get this - despite being on tour and 7 hours from home, the guitarist's parents were in Champaign and coming out to watch! They were in town for a family reunion, and it just so happens that their son was on tour through the area at the same time. He joked about it in a conversation I had with him before their set: "I imagine them just following us in another van for the whole tour, this is too weird." It got even weirder when they ended their set with their most popular number, "Enormous F*cking Death Ass Knife," with parents in the audience. The peculiarity of the situation did not detract from their performance one bit, though.Lucid Dreams
Last up to take the stage was Lucid Dreams, who showed up a little late at the hands of a long journey in from Gurnee. Three of the four members are actually still juniors and seniors in high school, the fourth member being a U of I student and Allen Hall resident (if you remember João from the show's preview article). For all of them being so young, they definitely have it together. Like the members of Gonzo Diablo, these boys all were highly skilled in their respective trades - vocalist João paced the stage and kept the energy alive while guitarist Pressian demonstrated his chops in a frenzy of sweeps and shreds. Their set included four original pieces, each with its unique combination of wacky time signatures and tons of breakdowns, and there was also a spot-on cover of August Burns Red's "Back Burner." Needless to say, they put on a stellar performance, and being such young guns, expect them to come around again soon.You can find more information on upcoming shows at Error Records here.