Shiny Toy Guns
Cue the LEDs. Digitalism is this year’s hot new thing: A tsunami of top-40 hits are cleverly distorting their vocals (‘Blame It On the Alcohol,’ ‘Boom Boom Pow’) and techno-flavored indie bands are climbing the charts. Now, Sixth College’s Kuncocshun Festival is stepping in line, skipping over a tradition of mellow rock acts to hire its Grammy-nominated headliner ‘mdash; and after that A.S. mandate-reserve funding fiasco, Shiny Toy Guns better be damn good.
On the outside, the Los Angeles band is weird enough. Goth ‘Matrix’ attire (S’amp;M straps and plenty of guyliner to go around), Chad Petree’s emo swoon and Sisley Treasure’s grrly thrash are paraded atop Jeremy Dawson’s insane carnival keys. (Guessing we’re not in Kansas anymore, people.)
Both the Guns’ singles interchange pure party synths (‘Ricochet!’) with makeout-ready melodies (‘Le Disko’). On stage, Treasure screams and scrapes with all the breath in her smoked-out lungs; Petree whispers slow and soft, tearing into jagged heartbreak even as he attempts a traditional rock ballad.
Judging from all this ‘mdash; and from the superglam ‘Le Disko’ video that transforms a stripper into a tarantula ‘mdash; it’s hard to know what to expect. After a lifetime of Britneys and Dashboards headlining the festivities, it’s a little strange to hear an up-and-coming band so openly goth and so willing to sell out (watch for the 2010 Lincoln MKZ). Just hope that Shiny Toy Guns shock the stage with (at least) their glittery master-slave outfits ‘mdash; and that the act lives up to the pose.
‘mdash; Allie Cuerdo Associate Hiatus Editor
Elevaters
Versatility’s a good thing for pocket knives, thespians, power tools and music ‘mdash; but only if you can find a use for all the parts. Otherwise, you end up with gumbo: six musicians jumping from funk to moralizing rap, transitioning from English into Spanish with too many instruments competing for the stage to make anything tangible (not to mention danceable).
Although these California kids’ flows are sturdy, they’re not quite substantial enough to carry the latitude of an ensemble playing (count ’em) four different instruments apiece. And with a low-key Kenny G vibe (for the most part), we’re too busy napping to notice that the Elevaters are blessed with a tolerable dose of talent. Maybe it’s supposed to sound like elevator music on E?
‘mdash; Edwin Gonzalez Associate Hiatus Editor
Melee
The downside to growing up on ’80s sitcoms is that you probably don’t mind when your songs sound like they’re ripped from your unfinished sixth-grade diary.
Seeing as every track on Melee’s playlist shucks out melodic pop that towers to a mandatory crescendo, it doesn’t look like the Orange County quintet is going to shatter the charts anytime soon. But if anyone’s forgotten what the first CD their mom ever bought them sounded like, then Chris Cron’s chipper motivational coaching should refresh the memory just fine. If anything, the nostalgia will satiate your weekly want of home-grown lawn dancing.
‘mdash; Edwin Gonzalez Associate Hiatus Editor
Incomplete Neighbor
Looks as if Incomplete Neighbor has connections in student government ‘mdash; after opening Rock ‘n’ Roosevelt back in February, they’re vets to the college-fest circuit. Still burned into my memory from the first catastrophe: A fe
w plaid-PJed froshies scurry by with one hand balancing a Ventanas tray and all other fingers stuffed in their ear holes. Keyboardist waterfalls his Pro-V ringlets with so much passion that all the bats nesting there squawk into the night, biologically unable to tolerate vibrations like ‘You’ve got your lights on/ But you don’t see me’ escaping from toothless yawn of lead singer. (Complete with supplementary ooh-oohs ‘You don’t’ and ‘See me’ from two off-key Harrisons on guitars.) In the ‘crowd,’ three short pre-meds with matching pea coats headbang their (also matching) haircuts shyly. ‘Hey, that’s my MMW T.A.,’ one dude says, standing awkwardly in his Revelle orientation T-shirt and Elvis Costello glasses. MMW shout-out match ensues. Lead singer plays a number called ‘Pillanoid,’ then announces there’s still time for three more songs.
So, yeah ‘mdash; you wouldn’t want to miss the sequel.
‘mdash; Simone Wilson Senior Staff Writer