We’re less than two months from the Sun God festival, and the 25 student bands fighting to be this year’s opener are counting down the days. Only five bands will invade the Loft for a Battle of the Bands on April 3, and you can pick one of them by voting at www. sungodfestival.ucsd.edu. The other four will be chosen by A.S. Concerts And Events. Sure, we have no control over this year’s headliner, but the opener is in our hands. So boot up your laptop, crank up the speakers and take your pick.
Seriously
Among the sea of delicate acoustic numbers vying for the top spot in the Sun God Battle of the Bands, Seriously promises the sharp beeps and strong beats we’ll need to start the party right. With icy robot synths and rock vocals, first track “Immaculate Addiction” could vaguely resemble Daft Punk, if we’re drunk enough. It’s a crowd-pleaser with a chest-buzzing beat and a shiny techno gaudiness that’s refreshing in a pool of bland hipster minimalism. The lyrics start out self-consciously saccharine — mostly laments about addiction and intoxication — but punchy tones, far-off handclaps and an emphatic chorus proclaiming they can’t stop ’til they get enough (haven’t heard that one before) carry attitude to fill the Loft’s humble dance floor.
Seriously’s second sample for voters, “Been So Long,” takes the glam down a notch with plaintive vocals over rippling guitar, taut drumbeats and the occasionally twinkle of synth. It’s a boy-meets-girl story, with lyrics catchy enough for a sing-along, breathy vocals and a wailing guitar solo for a little edge.
Other bands may boast sweeter sounds or more sparkling story, but Seriously is a breath of fresh air — a loud, unapologetic band, here to get the crowd pumped for the best day of the year.
— Angela Chen
Senior Staff Writer
Mad Traffic
We might not have swing-danced since junior high, but Mad Traffic’s about to give us a reason to dust off the moves. The band’s only been around since May 2008, but its members are veterans at the biz: Blaise Garza played sax with the Violet Femmes, and bassist Chris Murray and guitarist Brian Fleck performed as part of reggae group High Tide at Sun God Festival 2007.
The band’s swing-rock hinges on the jaunty singing of Blaise Guld — yeah, there are two Blaises in Traffic — like a dapper version of Jim Morrison in “People Are Strange.” Instead of drowning out Guld’s delivery, the drum and guitars support it, restraining themselves to simple and insistent rhythms that’ll get your head bobbing.
Don’t expect any huge choruses, though. Even when Traffic repeats riffs to build tension, like in “Waiting on Luck,” it’s not a prelude to a an arena-rock yell-along — just a way to make it feel urgent. Usually that’d be a massive disappointment, but the prolonged outro-solo in “Luck” satisfies even after the track fades out. If you can stand a little restraint in your music, do us Sun God early birds a favor and vote for a band that makes it worth rushing the wristband booth.
— Matthew Pecot
Associate Hiatus Editor
