A diverse evening of entertainment energized Troy on Wednesday as Maggie Mayday and Run Run Run joined The Bravery in Revolution Hall. In a show that highlighted Revolution Hall’s excellent sound and lighting quality, Run Run Run in particular delivered a stunning performance which, if hampered somewhat by slight under-attendance, certainly cast the spotlight of the evening on a band which is no doubt slated for an exciting career.
Maggie Mayday opened the evening with a set of their signature retro powerpop tunes. Hailing from Albany, this local trio has a tight sound held together by solid rhythm work, John Brodeur’s razor-smooth vocals and songwriting, and of course the occasional emotive guitar solo. Jenn McCarron had a particularly charismatic evening, punching out bass lines with an energy that the crowd would have done well to match, tossing her hat off the stage mid-song and engaging in fun banter with the audience between songs. Although this was the first time I’ve seen this band live, I guarantee that it won’t be the last.
I wasn’t previously familiar with Run Run Run, but after watching them dominate the stage on Wednesday night, I’m sure that their period of relative obscurity will soon come to an end. Decked out in dark clothes, shaggy hair and a bad-ass demeanor, this Los Angeles band seemed to be shooting for (and pulling off) the ethos of Aiden if they miraculously started sounding good. Spot-on renditions of various tracks from their debut CD, “Endless Winter,” perfectly complimented their imposing stage presence and the incredible lighting effects that Revolution Hall effortlessly pulled off. Epic strobe lights in a nearly dark performance area were orchestrated for maximum effect, further lending to the general feel of polish and professionalism that accompanied this splendid performance.
I’m not much of a fan of the synthy, The Killers-esque style capitalized upon by The Bravery, but it’s difficult to imagine anybody being terribly impressed with their performance this particular night. I can hardly complain about the sound or lighting quality (although the folks at Revolution Hall are primarily to be complimented for this) but the attitude of the band was absolutely abhorrent. Frontman Sam Endicott certainly engaged in some entertaining antics, but his conduct was egotistic to a horrible degree, even for a so-called “rock star.” The practiced nature of his obnoxious prancing around with the microphone stand stood in stark contrast to the general feel-good style of the indie rock scene. His energy, like that of the whole band, was undeniable—he must have broken eight guitar strings—but the performance was tainted by his out of taste antics, as he made fun of the opening bands and continuously spat on the stage. When he repeatedly lampooned Maggie Mayday for the alliteration of their name, the loss of respect among the audience was almost tangible.
Run Run Run and Maggie Mayday delivered excellent performances that delighted all present, but The Bravery suffered for their callously caustic attitude which was way out of place at such an indie venue. Both opening bands showed certain signs of burgeoning forces to be reckoned with, but despite musical adequacy, The Bravery were a disappointment to all but the very most dedicated of fangirls.
