PureVolume.Com kicked off its house party tonight for the music portion of S
XSW the other night. As cool as the idea of an unofficial party is, the main draw seemed to be the free alcohol and not so much the actual music. So for a
majority of the night, there seemed to be more people crowded in the outdoor tent in an attempt to cool off or in the bar area for the free alcohol. However, there was one band that did seem to have the energy and appeal to gather more people into the area around the stage than any other. That band was Lights Resolve.
This New York outfit didn’t appeal to me during their first song, but then lead singer Matt Reich dropped his jaw as low as possible and let out some of the biggest vocals I’ve ever heard from a man that skinny. For as much as drummer, Neal Saini, and bassist, Luke Daniels, moved and jumped around, those boys never missed a note. Their live show was full of energy and for a crowd generally unfamiliar with their tunes, they were quite impressed.
I think as SXSW progresses, the real test of a band’s talent will be determined by who can get the crowd interested without the gimmick of free shit. Lights Resolve proved they were up to the challenge.
Lights Resolve: website | myspace | Highline Ballroom Review
