It was my first trip to the Knitting Factory, and it proved to be too much amazing music for my camera to handle. The first band to play was The City Drive, fronted by Canadian lead singer Danny Smith. The band showed up ready to rock out, and bassist Scott Waldman was literally running around the floor with the audience for a solid hour before it was time for TCD to take the stage. The enthusiasm that the guys showed to me before the show was incredible, encouraging me to run onstage during their set, stand up Southern California’s own Marc Precilla drums and get in their face to shoot. Although I never got the courage to actually go on stage, it was obvious that if I had they would not have cared a bit. These guys were simply radiating with as much energy on the stage as they’d showed off stage. Their performance was amazing and Smith’s vocals (accompanied by Waldman’s back-ups) seemed perfect. I enjoyed shooting these guys more than anyone I’ve covered so far because they were so animated and dynamic on stage. However, my camera did not agree with me, and decided to freeze on me literally at the end of their setlike at the last stroke of a chord, there it went. So, I could not shoot the rest of the show (which was two more hours!) and have yet to get my camera fixed (tear).
The next band to come onstage was Chicago’s theAudition. The crowd rushed to the stage when the band was announced, and it seemed like most of the people there knew their songs by heart. Lead singer Danny Stephens played to the crowd and often tossed the mic to let others sing in his place. Their following was intensely loyal, to say the least, and their set was well played. Although I had never heard of them (or so I thought) I was impressed by their sound, which can be compared to June or Taking Back Sunday. As I was loading my photos (sadly, not of theAudition) onto my computer a song came on my media player that I’d never heard, and I said to myself “wow, this song is awesome!” and, sure enough, it was theAudition’s own “You’ve Made Us Conscious”. Their production sound was just as good as their sound on stage, and vice versa.
The next band to come to the stage was quietdrive, who put on an equally energetic show. However, they really could have turned their amps down just a notch, because my ears are still ringing from their set. Their music was good and catchy and lead singer Kevin Truckenmiller was performing well despite his admitted sickness.
Sherwood came to the stage following quietdrive to provide a refreshing fix of keyboard with their staples of guitar, bass, and drums. Their indie sound was very impressive, and yet it still was poppy enough to be catchy. Though their onstage performance was somewhat uneventful and boring, their sound was great and made up for their lack of stage presence.
In the final act of the night, Waking Ashland came to the stage and borrowed Sherwood drummer Joe Greenetz to complete their trio. Even though the show had already lasted well over two and a half hours and the entire crowd seemed to be ready to crash on the floor at any minute, keyboardist Jonathan Jones stirred an intense life back into us. It was the band’s lack of edge and abundance of emotion that brought the crowd back to life, and Jones’ powerful lyrics seemed to be known and respected by all in attendance. Obviously the headlining band Waking Ashland came onto the stage in grungy clothes and stepped right to their instruments, after appropriate adjustments requested to the soundman, and dove into their set. Waking Ashland’s mellow sound and evident passion made for a show that was nothing short of spectacular, and was a great cap to the three-hour event.
