Cary Brothers at the Rhythm Room 08.21.2007

By Steve Shugg, FromTheCrowd.com Contributor

For going to shows over and over again at the bigger venues where the artists simply play their songs and get off stage, it’s refreshing to see an artist that takes the time to get to know his fans and put on a show that he cares about. This was the case when it came to seeing Cary Brothers at the Rhythm Room. It was a show that makes me look forward to going to those more intimate shows, and when there is an artist like Cary Brothers that is going to perform, the show has potential to be that much greater.

From beginning to end, the show was amazing. Not only did Brothers and his band put on an amazing show, but the opening acts provided the support that makes one think this collaboration of artists was a little more thought out than simply calling up your friends asking if they wanted to go on tour with you. First up was William Fitzsimmons, who after seeing him live for the first time, went out, bought the album, and cannot get over the sound that Fitzsimmons produces.

Second up were The Stars of Track and Field, and for a trio that don’t even have a bassist, going from a solo acoustic artist to this three piece rock group, I couldn’t wait for Cary to take the stage; I think everyone else in the room was probably thinking the same thing. Well we were all in luck, because within a matter of time, Cary and his band were taking the stage ready to go.

Cary Brothers is one of those artists that just get the crowd into his show. I’m sure it helps that everyone there knew all the words to his songs, and that the mixture of the crowd that night was simply there to have fun and enjoy his music. Singing out some of his more popular songs, like “Ride”, “Blue Eyes”, and his new single “Who You Are”, the feeling inside was electric, and when the show had reached its climax, everyone was a little bummed, because we all just wanted to listen to more music and share the experience. However that’s one of the great things about an artist like Cary Brothers, because just because the music has finished, does not mean that the experience is. A little while after his set, Cary always takes the time to come outside and talk to his fans and get to know that people that his music effects so much. As a fan, that really means a lot to me to know that just because the artist may be growing in popularity and getting national exposure, they still take the time to listen to their fan’s stories.

The cool thing about Brothers fans is, they always seem to go to numerous shows in a row, letting the artist get to see those certain fans over and over again, and establish those relationships with their fans. It’s also cool to hang out after the show, and to see Cary Brothers, a national artist who has been seen on movie soundtracks and TV shows, walk right up to you after their show, and go “Hey Steve, glad you made it out today, what did you think of the show?” It’s moments like this that make me appreciate music, and happy to be a fan of artists like this.

The One and only muse at Mesa Amphitheatre 09.19.2007

By Steve Shugg, FromTheCrowd.com Contributor

There are certain bands that simply listening to their albums do not do justice to the musicianship and talent that the members have. This is due to the fact that so many bands these days have so much production done on their albums, that you can’t tell what’s real and what’s computer work; this could not be more false to the British trio Muse. They recently played at the Mesa Amphitheatre and to all the skeptics that thought they could not reproduce the sound that they create on their records; well all they had to do was listen.

Now I’ve seen Muse before, however it was during a festival so I did not get the full experience that I had heard so much about; that’s what made this show so exciting for me. From the instance the lights went down, introducing Muse to the stage, my mind was made up that these were some of the most talented musicians out there today. They ripped into songs like “Time is Running Out”, “Hysteria”, and “Stockholm Syndrome”. Matthew Bellamy hit all those high notes that were created on the records, and that one thought he would not be able to. He struck every note on guitar during the solos, and he had some amazing help. Dominic Howard was mesmerizing on drums, keeping up with the intensity of the crowd, and the energy from the songs. Then there was Chris Wolstenholme on bass, who kept up with everyone, and although there aren’t many bass solo’s in Muse songs, no one else would have been able to finish off an already incredible group. The fact that all three musicians are classically trained in their craft definitely shined through during this set.

As amazing as this show was, there were some things that made it a little different than others. For instance, right before they came back for their encore there was a reading or a speech if you will. The speech was one from John F. Kennedy during his time in office. It was about taking pride in our country, and not wanting to go to war because it wasn’t our war to fight. Now being a British band, this did seem a little out of place, especially since Muse has never really been known to speak out much against the war or politics. You could definitely see the tension in the air of the people that agreed with the message, and those that thought it was not their place and should not have been brought up at the concert. Either way, it was an impressive sight to see a crowd of a few thousand standing in awe listening to John F. Kennedy speak to us, even if it was a recorded message.

This combined with the music made for a memory that will not soon be forgotten. This show proved to the concertgoers that Muse isn’t going anywhere, and that their music and talent is going to be around for a while to come. Any opportunity to experience one of their shows, I would absolutely recommend taking that chance and having the chance to see what a rock show should be like.