popwreckoning

The Get Up Kids, one of my favorite indie rock meets second wave emo bands, killed it at a reunion show at the Blender Theatre to a crowd that seemed quick to forgive the fact that they broke up in 2005, leaving us all broken-hearted, confused, and unwilling to accept the reality.  There was an “unconfirmed opener” that the secretive venue people claimed was some band called “Matzah Balls,” and even the PR rep at Vagrant Records refused to tell me who it would be.

We sensed the phony band name only hid an inevitably great surprise. Rumors swirled about it being Face to Face (or any comparable punk band in town for the next day’s Bamboozle Festival), but it ended up being Brand New! Everyone went nuts for them, as we grew even hungrier for The Get Up Kids to take the stage. They were greeted with the loudest screams I’ve heard in a while.

Playing a mix of old and new, it was a great show for old and new fans alike, since I’m fairly certain any type of fan probably went home happy to hear at least one of their favorite songs. They were admittedly rusty but no one seemed to care or notice. You could tell their hardcore fans were in the house since not only did everyone know every word to every song, but they insisted on singing along almost as loudly as the band. In fact, lead singer Matt Pryor stopped every now and then to let the audience finish a song or belt out a chorus.

There was crowd surfing and a pseudo pit to my right that slightly irritated me (either because it truly was annoying or I was annoyed with myself and the pending fact that I may be “getting too old for this.” I’m embarrassed to admit the latter is probably more likely.) Honestly, none of that even mattered because I was so happy to be there. It was an incredible night and lead to lots of post-show gushing about G.U.K. with equally obsessed friends.  Their set rekindled my love for this band and I’ve been listening to Something To Write Home About non-stop ever since. Oh, and I’m proud to say that I’ll never outgrow or be too old for The Get Up Kids.

Set List:
Coming Clean
Action and Action
The One You Want
Valentine
Holiday
Woodson
Never Be Alone
Red Letter Day
Up On The Roof
Campfire Kansas
Holy Roman
Mass Pike
No Love
I’m A Loner Dottie, A Rebel
I’ll Catch You
//
Close To Me
Don’t Hate Me
Ten Minutes
Walking On A Wire

The Get-Up Kids: website | myspace

Trever Keith, front man of the legendary Face To Face is flying solo these days. His outlook on the new endeavor? “Ignorance is bliss. This isn’t Face To Face music.” It’s always difficult to start up something new, but Keith isn’t having too many issues. “It’s a little strange, but the tour is going better than expected.” While is solo effort and previous Face To Face releases are similar in tone, “the new stuff is branching out. We’re experimenting with a lot more drum loops and samples.”

Since he had been leading Face To Face for over 15 years, Trever Keith has been to Pittsburgh a number of times. “I love Pittsburgh. There’s good fans here, and I feel comfortable.” He also, most certainly, knows what’s up when it comes to new music, considering how long he’s been making it himself. Who’s doing it right in his eyes? Apparently very few. In the small handful of bands he lists: Radiohead, Grinderman, Film School, Battles, and Morrissey are the only ones who’ve got it down.

Tonight, at Pittsburgh’s 31st Street Pub, Keith is backed by a band called Say Vinyl. The group opens strong, though as the set continues, the backing band comes off as a bit lackluster. Keith, however, shines through as the seasoned performer he is. Throughout the show, he maintains excellent eye contact and interaction with the audience, giving that connection that every fan craves. It’s gratifying to note that Keith plays all of his own guitar solos, proving that he’s not grown too big for his britches, as so many performers these days have.

Through the solid mix of songs, I struggle to hear the harmonies. However, my difficulty in hearing those subtle backing vocals did not prevent me from hearing that Trever Keith’s new material is absolutely beautiful. With devastatingly relate-able lyrics such as, “I should just stay away from you / That’s why I don’t,” and “I thought I would feel something different this time / Instead I don’t feel anything at all,” connecting with this music and this man is something that takes no thought or effort. Keith’s heartbreakingly honest vocals over the absolutely beautiful lines flowing from the bass, make the idea of trusting him that much easier.

The audience clearly agrees with this sentiment. Keith sums it up by saying at one point, “I didn’t think a crowd that small could make that much noise!” He tells me later, “any fan is great, as long as there’s no heckling. Even so, it’s just gratifying to be acknowledged, and to make that connection with strangers.” There was no lack of connection in the pub tonight. Seeing this man, who truly knows how it’s done, is something not to be missed.

Trever Keith: website