Charly Bliss Ends Weekend On High Note At The Entry

There’s no better way to end a beautiful weekend of chilling and concerts than with yet another beautiful concert. I took a risk last night. I have never heard of either of the bands playing at the 7th Street Entry so there was a chance that I would be ending my weekend and starting my week off on the wrong foot. The being said, I had a couple of things working in my favor. First, the show was at The 7th Street Entry and I honestly don’t know if I’ve ever had a bad time when there. From the friendly staff who no longer asks for my ID to the grungy feel of the place, it will forever be a home away from home for me. Second, the show was sold out. I mean, if a show sells out a Sunday night show on Father’s Day none the less that has to say something… right?

Emily Reo got the night started off right at 8PM. Backed by a three piece band, I was instantly captivated by Emily’ voice and mannerisms. There was something quirky and almost awkward about her but also something to truly stunning and real that it was impossible to look away. There was something simple about her performance yet so complex about her music. From the dainty lines of notes streaming from her keytar to the almost intense style of her vocals at times, her set was truly all over the place but in the best way possible. The various styles that all meshed together to form Emily’s signature sound shouldn’t work together but she somehow blends them all together to create a perfect sound that works perfectly. From indie-pop to a little bit of a grunge with an almost pop-princess vibe, Emily Reo instantly became one of the more unique new acts I’ve seen in awhile and I can’t wait to see where her unique sound and quirky personality takes her.

There was a sense of anticipation in the air as Emily and her band cleared off the stage to make room for the headliner Charly Bliss. As mentioned, I had never heard of Charly Bliss before and had no clue what I was getting into but I was definitely alone in that boat. The chatter seemed to be all about the last time people saw this band live. The ranting and raving about how amazing and fun Charly Bliss’ live show is was setting the bar pretty high and I was starting to get nervous. What if the band was having an off night and just couldn’t reach the expectations that everyone in the sold out audience had set. What if they took the stage and I thought it was one of the most boring things I had ever seen but had to pretend to like it due to being stuck in a room with people going crazy over it. The chatter around me escalated into a roar of applause as the band took the stage. I took a deep breath and, just like that, I was swept into another world of bubblegum pop and grunge (no, not kidding).

This four piece has an aura about them that has to be felt and seen in order to understand. There’s something very joyous and fun-loving about them but also something very down to earth and real. Although their music is fun and vocalist Eva Hendricks’ feathered outfit was quirky, there’s something about this group that screams professionalism. They have been doing their thing since 2011 which doesn’t make them a new band or a seasoned band but something about their demeanor on stage and the talent and determination that is seen clear as daylight makes you think they have been doing thing this forever.

Although Eva stole the spotlight with ease due to her pink feathered outfit and the way she refused to stand still for a single moment, everyone in the band had their moment and that’s something that is hard to do with such a force behind the main microphone. No matter who you were watching on the stage, there was a smile on their face and therefore, a smile on yours. Again, the energy that this group has is something that I wish every single band had. You could have been in a funk or a haze when walking into Sunday night’s show but as soon as you took a glimpse at this band, that mood would be turned around without any question.

I called their music a mix of bubblegum pop and grunge and honestly I don’t think there’s another way to describe it. Funny and bubbly but with an edge, I honestly don’t know who I could compare their sound to. Sure, I could say Weezer as that is who they are often compared to but that’s a stretch for me. They have one of those sounds that takes you a little time to figure out if you love it or hate it. I truly don’t believe there’s any in-between with the, Full disclosure, it took me a couple of songs to finally come to terms with the fact that I loved it. I loved every single moment of it. Much like Emily Reo, Charly Bliss is in a world all of their own which made Sunday night’s show a truly exciting and refreshing night of music for me.

Last night could have gone terribly for me and ruined not only an amazing weekend but what has the potential to be a great and relaxing week. Thankfully, I wasn’t let down. The masses aren’t always right and sometimes I question why certain shows sell out but there was no question as to why this one sold out. Emily Reo and Charly Bliss deserve to sell out every show either of them play.