I showed up early to the House of Blues, San Diego…not to see the opening bands (I ‘m very glad that I did though), but mainly because free parking starts at 6pm on Sundays. I really wanted to see the type of people that were showing up, the free parking was just a bonus. Just as I suspected, droves of under-age teens and 20-somethings were waiting for the doors to open, so I waited outside for a bit. That’s to be expected when you have such a powerful duo of music producers that Cherub is…and these kids must’ve known something I didn’t, the bands Cherub brought with them were just as exciting to watch!
I was outside when Boo Seeka took the stage; a lead guitarist and producer duo from Australia that shook the building’s foundation with their unique take on Indie/Electronica fusion and haunting tenor vocals that echoed through the hall. Frenship, a dual-lead singer group that adds some tight harmonies and incredible energy to the popular Indie/Electronica fusion style these fans came to see, hyped the crowd up for Cherub while playing to some of their fans that travelled from Los Angeles, and those extremely pleased Cherub fans who decided to come early. Now, I’ll admit that this style of music isn’t my first choice, but it was so fun and so uplifting that I found myself bobbing my head and shifting (only slightly…only slightly) to the beat. Throughout the first two bands playing, the crowd grew to nearly ten-fold of what it was when I first walked in. Most of them were those 20-somethings, and a few of us “older” people speckled around the, and the excitement tensed up while waiting for the Nashville duo that are anything but Country! The lights, the action, the movement…the crows responded with cheers, screams, and plenty of dancing!
Cherub took awhile after Frenship left to actually take the stage, but I don’t blame them…this was their final stop of their tour and you could tell everyone was excited and reluctant to stop. There was one note…then the audience exploded, reaching for the ceiling, trying to catch the sound and feel the beat as the production began. It was eerily similar to an Electronica dance-party (one of those popular DJ’s out there), but there was purity and technical understanding in their music. AND…it was being played live…these guys are musicians, not just producers! You could feel the infectious energy oozing off the stage, seemingly lifting the crowd in a wave of people. Their big hit, “Doses and Mimosas,” had everyone clamoring for the stage to be a part of this moment…these guys were true performers, with a light show and a couple of back-up guys to increase the power and ferocity of their music, Cherub owned the night in San Diego. I wish I this wasn’t their last night…the threesome of Boo Seeka, Frenship, and the increasingly weirdo duo of Cherub made for an incredible evening I want a repeat of.
Big Jon / BackStage360
BigJon@BackStage360.com
