MUSIC: The Midday Social Brings The Buzz To The Met

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Rob Duguay, GoLocalProv Music Critic

Weld Square at the Met (Photo: Gary Sousa)

What better way to spend a Friday night that being right in the thick of the hullabaloo that is the New England music scene?

The Met in Pawtucket was the epicenter of a grand competition with the top two acts getting the chance to perform at next month'sMidday Social. Escape Pod, Echoes Of Petra, The October Accord,Downcity Armory, The Most Dangerous Men Alive and Weld Square competed to see who would come out on top in front of a crowd ranging from people all over the Northeast. The Met's Mike Delehanty, Motif Magazine's Marc Clarkin & 95.5 WBRU's Brian Manfredi were the judges and it was a grand celebration of the exciting music that has been going on around the area for the past few years. Looking for a party? Then you should have been at The Met.

Starting the night off was a new band on the scene in Escape Pod. They exhibited a groovy psychedelic rock sound that featured a vocalist that reminded me a lot of Robert Plant, for only their 2nd show ever they made their mark instantly. I hope I see Escape Pod a lot more, for an act in its infancy they have a lot of potential to make a name for themselves.

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Next up was Echoes Of Petra, a powerful rock band that brought a frenzy amongst the crowd. Their set started with a pre-recorded piano which I didn't like that much, but the vocalist wasn't struggling to sing over the the guitars, bass and drums which had me impressed. They showed me a lot of improvement since the last time I saw them here and I loved their presence on stage. A few people near the stage were headbanging their asses off, showing a great connection between the band and the attendees. I enjoyed the rest of their performance, my only criticism is that they should get someone to play on the keys instead of using an mp3.

A bunch of young kids who know how to get loud, The October Accord lit the place up with infectious energy. I liked the drummer a lot, he was the backbone during the entire performance with his lightning fast beats. An early front runner to be one of the winners of the night, The October Accord exhibited a lot of talent with their unapologetic pop punk. They have a lot of room to grow and from what I saw they have the potential to do so. Hopefully they stick around for the next few years, The October Accord's future looks very bright.

The night got interesting with industrial act Downcity Armory, their bass player wore a mask that made him look like one of the Spy vs. Spy guys from Mad Magazine. He also played his bass with a drumstick, but after the first song he normalized himself and got rid of his mask and stick. It was strikingly original and totally different from what the rest of the acts had to offer. Reminiscent of Nine Inch Nails, Orgy & New Order, I thought it was decent but the crowd wasn't really feeling it. One turn off from Downcity Armory was the rapping, when you mix hip-hop & industrial together it's like oil & water. I liked how intense and in your face they were along with being very political on topics like gentrification and the government, but I think the people in attendance weren't as excited for Downcity Armory as they were for the other acts. I want to see these guys play with more electronic and metal acts in the future, Downcity Armory would be a great fit.

A multidimensional rock & roll band that knows how to kick it into high gear, The Most Dangerous Men Alive had people hootin' & hollerin' right from the start. This act from the South Shore of Massachusetts syncopated perfectly with the bluesgrassy "Not Your Problem", a bluesy love song in "Tie Dye Heart" and the ska-jam rocker "Lose Control" highlighted one of the best experiences of the night. They also blew me away with a surprise cover of LMFAO's "Sexy And I Know It" to cap off a set that had everyone going crazy. Another favorite to be one of the winners, I hope The Most Dangerous Men Alive venture down to Providence again. They're a lot of fun and they guarantee a good time.

Last up from New Bedford was Weld Square, who invaded the stage amplified punk rock that I instantly fell in love with. If you like Big Black & Hot Water Music then this trio is your cup of tea, roaring and raging on stage with a plethora of fury. I love how the frontman on guitar got right in the middle of the crowd at one point, you hardly see that anymore. Taking no prisoners and obliterating everything in their path, Weld Square became the wild card in a competition that got an instant jolt. Weld Square have recently come out with a new album called Capricious Youth, grab a copy and have your ears explode.

After the festivities I felt it was between Weld Square, The October Accord & The Most Dangerous Men Alive to decide which two would perform at The Midday Social. But hey, I wasn't the judge. It was up to Mike, Marc & Brian to decide who was to make their presence felt at one of the best networking events in New England. Vocalist of Satellites Fall & Midday Records' Marc Charron went on the mic to announce the winners and they were (drum roll please) The Most Dangerous Men Alive & Weld Square. They will be playing The Midday Social at Platforms in Providence on February 27th. If you have a band, a venue, a record label or your like myself and you write and have a radio show, I highly suggest you go. It's a great way to get your name out and you might even make a few friends.

MUSIC: The Midday Social Brings The Buzz To The Met

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