Sonna/Chris Brokaw/Explosions in the Sky/27/Tigersaw

It was a good 45 minut drive to Gloucester on Thursday evening but it was well worth the trip. A relatively out-of the way place called The Fishtown Artspace had a night of some very stylish rock music. Unfortunately I showed up too late to catch Tigersaw, but I do like the members and their CD is pretty sweet. 27 was playing when I walked in, also a local Boston-based group, rocking out with a strange blend of Louisville-influenced rock combined with pre-programmed electronics to accent the mix. Chris Brokaw of Come, Pullman and the New Year got up to do a short set of guitar and voice, but what knocked me off my socks was the performance from Austin-based Explosions in the Sky.

The group of four begun quiet with shimmering three-guitar melodies which cut through the night. This is one of those bands any musician just sits back and watches with their lower jaw on the floor wondering "why can't I come up with melodies like this?" The group continued and with a style not entirely unlike Mogwai or Godspeed, the levels and energy built, higher and higher and higher. Taking steps back between songs, the motion of the night never ceased, with a blaring ending as their drummer loses his sticks, uses his fists and collapses over the entire set.

Baltimore-based Sonna headlined the night and in a similar fashion was a instrumental act with four amazingly skilled musicians who observedly have an uncanny ability to pay perfect attention to everybody else. The writing style of Sonna could very well be much more skilled and original than Explosions but the energy and drive of the Austin boys more than made up for any of those differences. Fans of godspeed, Mogwai or Tarentel shouldn't avoid this show - tour dates are posted at www.temporaryresidence.com.