Last weekend’s show reviewed in The Sun
Thursday, August 31st, 2006
http://gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060828/ENTERTAINMENT/60828009/0/bands
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With everything the weekend had to offer, making definitive plans was a bit of a problem. I?m happy to say I chose wisely. The Atlantic held a huge ?Back to School Bonzai? with Oh No! And the Tiger Pit, Morningbell and Velveteen Pink. I couldn’t miss a Morningell/Velveteen Pink show, I just couldn?t. I walked into The Atlantic in between Oh No?s and Morningbell?s set. The place was packed and, with wall-to-wall people, the joint was HOT. I immediately went up front to see what Morningbell had in store for their show that night. They kicked it off with a fantastic rendition of Love and Happiness. It featured a horn section, 3 piece doo-wop harmony section of beautiful young ladies and Travis Atria, the lead singer, stepping out in a gleaming white suit handing out roses. This was an incredible way to start off their set. Morningbell was unusually energetic through out the entire set. Travis and Eric, the bass player and brother, were dancing like crazy men. Travis?s solos were classic and right on. As their set moved into the slower songs, Travis?s voice became more distorted and almost dream-like. With the beautiful space-like music and the bright white light shining on him, he took on an almost angelic aura. Morningbell closed their set with Montage, a great space-like ballad. The stage lit up, as a sequence of lights attached to each instrument - or jacket, in the case of the axe men - shined as each one begun to play. A great end to a great set. Next up was Velveteen Pink, the sexiest guys to wear baby blue and hot pink since Prince. The kind of debonair outfits that command attention - white pants, bright, baby blue, high-collared shirts, fluorescent pink scarfs and huge white-rimmed glasses. Their music is just as original as their look. Velveteen Pink is known for their electronic, synth-groove sound. No one is Gainesville sounds like them, which is what makes them so appealing. One aspect that I think is really special about Velveteen Pink is that the drummer, Nicholas, is also the lead singer. He has an incredible voice that can range from deep and sexy to loud and powerful. At times, the entire band sings four-part harmonies - a rare sight in these parts. Both Morningbell and Velveteen Pink put on shows that are pleasing for the eyes and the ears. If you haven’t seen them, or are just in the mood for something different, you should definitely check them out. |
