Psychostick/ Lydia Can’t Breathe Find Perfect Balance of Comedy and Metal

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Photos by David Rubene

 

With seven bands on the bill for Sunday night’s show, I found myself instantly going to the bar for a Red Bull as I walked into The Cabooze. I knew that, although it was going to be an amazing night, it was also going to be long one. What I didn’t know was just how much fun I was going to have throughout the night.

The show started with local group The Perfect Rejects. These guys brought a completely different genre to the night with their brand of hip-hop. It was a bit strange to walk into their set when I thought I was going to a metal show but, as I staked out my spot towards the back of the venue, I quickly warmed up to these guys. Although their music was completely different than the rest of the line-up, it still had a sense of aggression and power that would reign supreme throughout the night. With so many bands on the bill, The Perfect Rejects’ set was short and sweet but I think that worked to their benefit. What I heard and saw had me intrigued and left me wanting more.

After a quick set changeover, it was time for Day 0. I had been wanting to see these guys for awhile now and they didn’t let me down. With their distinctive face paint and unique brand of metal, these guys took the stage by storm and quickly got the crowd moving. Their set had a very young feeling to it.yet still felt more polished than your average local band you’d go and see in your buddy’s basement. After a quick taste of Day 0, it was time to move onto the next band.

The Omega Sequence has been a bit of a buzz band in the local metal scene for quite awhile now. I have been at some shows where these guys have been playing but never seem to make it on time to catch their set. I finally caught them last night and instantly understood what the buzz was about. They have a brand of metal that truly stands out in our over saturated scene. Singer Justin Sherman does just that… sings which may sound stupid but it’s something that seems to have been completely overlooked in the local scene. Sure, there were times when the vocals seemed a bit off and I had to cringe a little bit but, being a newer band, hiccups are bound to happen. Even with some off key notes, these guys were solid and sure to be one of the standout acts in the Twin Cities metal scene this year.

Auridius was the next band to take the stage and one of the locals that I was most excited to see. I caught these guys a couple of months ago but, due to the technical difficulties that come with having a bagpipe player in your group, they were only able to play around three songs. Last night I got to catch a whole set of theirs and I’m still a bit intrigued. Sure, if you put bagpipes in your band you’re bound to get some buzz but, as a bagpipe player myself (no, I’m not kidding), it takes more than that to get me excited over your band. These guys have so many elements going on in their music that their sound seems to be muddy majority of the time. I don’t know if the members couldn’t hear each other or what was going on but something just felt a little bit off. When things were on, they were on and I loved the little bits and pieces that I could hear clearly and that kept me interested. I truly hope to see these guys figure out their sound issues that they seem to be plagued with every time I see them because there is definitely potential here.

Next up was the first of the touring bands but still a local band. Endless Reign has been gaining popularity in the local scene quickly and, although I’m pretty sure I have caught them at shows before, there was nothing that really stuck in my head about them. That changed last night. I’m not typically a fan of the trash side of the metal scene but when these guys were performing their blend of trash, death and a bit of groove metal, I was hooked. The music was clean and cohesive and, although powerful and aggressive, it was far from overpowering. Something finally clicked as I watched Endless Reign last night and now I get the buzz about these guys. They are truly a highlight in our scene.

Finally it was time for Lydia Can’t Breathe— a band that completely caught me off guard last time I stumbled into their show and left me craving their live show and energy. These guys are fun. Their music is fun. Their live show is fun. Everything about them is just fun. Even with all of the fun, these guys aren’t a joke. Sure, they pick a theme for every tour the do and this time it was Star Wars so, naturally, the members came out in Star Wars costumes and started the set with an epic light saber battle but, as soon as that music started, you realized just how seriously these guys take their music.

I was introduced to this band by my buddy DJ from Buried Above Ground. He is friends with the members so, as I was standing by the bar with DJ last night, I heard some of his interactions with the band members. I was struck by just how down to earth these guys were and, although they seem like goofballs on stage, they still have a very professional demeanor about them. It was clear that these guys truly just love what the do and, although they seem to grind harder than majority of the bands I see, they still enjoy the life and daily struggles that come with being a touring musician.

Lydia Cant Breathe’s set seemed far too short and I was honestly a bit bummed when they left the stage but I was still able to get that sense of energy that had me falling in love with them the first time I saw them. I was able to hear their brand of rock music that doesn’t quite fall into the metal category but definitely couldn’t be classified as just rock n roll. It has a sense of authority without being aggressive. The amount of energy that radiates off the stage as they powered through their quick set seemed like more than all of the other bands that had previously graced the stage all put together. 

Their set ended with their signature “Peanut Butter Jelly Time” song. If you’ve seen Lydia Can’t Breathe before, you know that this portion of their show could also be referred to as “dinner” and, with such an early and long show, I was hungry and ready for it. During this song, it is customary for the band to bring two volunteers onto the stage to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches that will then be thrown out into the crowd. The only rule about this is that, if you catch a sandwiches, you have to eat it in the most metal way possible. Unfortunately, I didn’t catch a sandwich and my stomach continued to growl throughout the rest of the night.

Finishing off the already amazing night of music was Psychostick from Tempe, AZ. I had heard nothing but amazing things about these guys’ live show was more than excited to see it for myself. I wasn’t let down. Their set seemed to be more of a comedy routine than an actual concert but, when playing music, even with the comedic lyrics and bizarre dance moves, it was hard to ignore the fact that these guys are actually pretty good musicians. 

With props galore, songs being picked by the crowd via “Slottery” (song lottery… get it?… basically just a bowl with song titles written on strips of paper that the crowd would blindly grab at in order to determine the next song), and a moment in the set with the crowd was asked to call their mom and the band proceeded to sing their hit sing “Do You Want A Taco” to all of the poor moms that had been called (you’re welcome for not calling you mom!) Psychostick’s set was nothing short of entertaining and hilarious with some good music to back it. The crowd’s energy met the energy of the band making a truly high energy atmosphere and, whether you came to the show to see Psychostick or not and, whether you found their shtick too gimmicky or not, you couldn’t help but stand there with a cheesy smile on your face throughout their set.

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