Friday, Feb. 21, a sold-out Majestic Theater was ready to escape the brutal reality of this midwestern winter with a triple bill featuring New Beat Fund, RDGLDGRN and Aer. Starting at 8:00 p.m., the standing room filled with fans in Hawaiian shirts and flowered dresses, eager to forget about the negative wind-chill outside.
California’s New Beat Fund was the first band to hit the stage, and while the crowd was still filling in, their energy and stage presence was tremendous. They had a really unique style, a groovy brand of alternative rock with a strong reggae influence. An insanely talented bass player, who played powerful melodies that not only shook the floor of the Majestic but also highlighted what the other musicians were doing, brought much of their energy forth.
The backbone of “Celibate Celebrity,” introduced by the frontman as the band's “dance song,” was a bass groove catchy enough to give alt-rock jams like Cake's “Short Skirt Long Jacket” a run for their money. On the other hand, reggae and dub-influenced songs like “Get Up” were supported by chill, Sublime-esque grooves. But even when the band took the tempo down, their sound was powerful and tight, even when their guitarist (newly single and unapologetically drunk) accidentally tore down part of the drummer’s kit in a fit of musical bliss.
Next on the bill was RDGLDGRN, a band that I've been listening to for a while. They hinted at influences of alt-rock, funk, reggae and fusion, making it hard to classify their sound. But when they hit the stage, it became clear to me. All influences aside, what they brought to the table was a rock 'n' roll show the likes of which I had never seen. While New Beat Fund had graced the stage with the stage antics of mad men, RDGLDGRN managed to transfer the energy to the crowd.
I think that part of the reason everybody was so energetic during their set is that their diverse sound truly had something to appeal every kind of music fan. Everyone in the band is an outstanding musician and adds his own style to the band, resulting in an extremely driving sound that managed to bring serious power while remaining tight and crisp at the same time. Everyone in the crowd was surging toward the stage, moving like they were at a true rock 'n' roll show.
However, not everybody was happy about it, and at times this really killed the good vibes that RDGLDGRN was putting out. That being said, I think RDGLDGRN is an outstanding band that belongs on a different bill, one where their show will be more appreciated. I grew up mainly going to punk shows, so I welcome the pushing toward the stage as a part of any good show... unlike the guy standing directly in front of the stage, who looked me in the eye after our shoulders touched and told me to “take a step back.”
Boston's Aer is led by Carter Schultz and David Von Mering. I had never seen them live before, and I was excited to see how their feel-good blend of hip hop and reggae-rock would translate into their live show. Before Aer took the stage, their DJ, DJ Smiley, hyped the crowd with an extensive electronic intro that samples a bunch of hip-hop songs and got the crowd dancing and ready to experience the “Fresh Aer Movement,” a term I had never heard before. After the intro, when Schultz and Von Mering hit the stage, one of the first things I noticed was the talent of their live band, which added a lot to the show because Aer's music draws so heavily on the upbeat, chill reggae vibes rather than electronic beats.
They played some of the bigger hits like 2012's “Float My Boat” pretty early on. The energy of their set skyrocketed with their cover of “Suck My Kiss” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, at which point Von Mering began playing guitar. I was extremely impressed by the cover, and surprised at how well they were able to play music that is so stylistically different from their own. I also had no idea that Von Mering played guitar in the group in addition to his vocals, and he stayed on the guitar for most of the rest of the show.
Another very surprising change of pace was Aer's hyped-up rendition of one of the most covered songs in music, 1959’s “Shout” by The Isley Brothers. The cover had the tone of a punk rock song, and I was happy to see this time the audience was far more receptive to the movement that accompanies an energetic song. Aer finished out the set with a solid run of more laid-back jams, including songs off of their new self-titled album. The show closed on a chill note with “Feel I Bring,” a reggae-infused sing-along from 2011's The Reach.
Ultimately, I was extremely impressed by Aer's live show and the way they stepped out of their comfort zone to play new and interesting material that showcased the musicianship of everyone onstage. Aer is an honest group of musicians with an immense respect for their art and their fans, and they boldly prove that you can take the music out of summertime, but you can never take the summertime out of the music.
