This particular evening is not a show I would usually go to. Yes, live music is always a good thing, but UFO has never been a band on my radar. My main reason for going was to see a new up and coming act named Freakswitch. I have known their bass player from prior projects and have been meaning to check out his new start up. This seemed to be as good an opportunity as any to see what they have to offer, plus check out some bands that I normally would not see.
When I arrived at The Chance Theater in Poughkeepsie, NY, the first band was nearing the end of their first set. Unfortunately, I did not catch the act's name. For that matter, they did not make a big impression on me. I seem to recall them playing decent hard rock, but anything beyond that escapes me.
The first act I saw from start to finish was Adam's Echo. This four-piece was perfectly mediocre. They are the sort of band you can somewhat enjoy live, but they are not an act that I feel the need to revisit all that often. Of course, they are no a metal act, so what do I know? Right? Now, do not get me wrong, these guys are not all that bad, the music is decent and they do inject some humor into their tunes. How often do you come across a band that will write a song about Snuggies? That's right, not very often. The highlight of their set was called "Snugglies Taking Over the World." I could not help but chuckle.
While I may have been a little non-plussed by them overall, there was one thing that stood out with Adam's Echo. Their classic rock styled sound is highlighted by lead guitarist/vocalist Garth Cullum. His voice was all right (actually, he was the better of the two lead vocalists), but that is not what made him stand out, oh no. He is a phenomenal guitarist. The man has chops, he ran though numerous leads that were smooth and displayed a good deal of skill. His contributions alone are worth listening to all on their own.
Next up was a band called, I believe, Starburst. I think that is what they called themselves, I cannot say they were all that clear whenever they said it. They were a fun band that did not offer much new. The sound was straight up rock and roll and I could see myself enjoying them more in a bar after a few beers. There was nothing particularly special about their music, they certainly brought lot of energy to the table. In particular, their guitar player was a wild man, shaking his head, slapping and clawing at his six-stringed instrument, he was a madman. Still, they are no a and I am likely to seek out.
Now it is time for the final opening act, Freakswitch. These guys have only been together for about eight months or so and are just now beginning to gain some momentum on the local scene. The band features veteran musicians who have come together for a love of the music and a desire to share their love with other music lovers. They play a brand of solid hard rock that is not the most distinctive, but it is definitely catchy and displays the ability of the members to come together and write good songs. I am sure given more time, their voices will continue to blend and allow for even better tunes.
Freakswitch came to the stage with plenty of energy, an energy that the slow but growing crowd recognized, fed off, and gave right back. I had spoken to the band prior to the show and they were a little disappointed oer the low number of tickets they were able to sell (it is kind of hard to sell tickets for a weekday show, you know). Fortunately, that did not seem to matter as the people that were there really got into them, more than any of the prior bands.
This was my first time seeing them, and I admit that I had been looking forward to the opportunity. I was not disappointed. They are not the best local act I have see (sadly, that band broke up years ago), but they have a lot of upside. I was a little worried going in, I had sampled the tracks on their MySpace page and the music was good, but the vocals worried me. The voice seemed off. Live, they are a different story, everything blended together much better, the vocals were definitely stepped up.
Was their performance perfect? No. At times the mix was off a bit, sometimes the guitar got lost and I could not make out the detail of the instrument. On the other side of the stage, the bass playing from Mike Polito was solid, just as I have come to know from him, but there was odd slapping noises coming from the strings, it did not sound normal. Overall, the performance was good, plenty of energy, catchy songs, and they were just a lot of fun. They are well worth keeping an eye on in the coming months.
With all of the opening acts out of the way, it is now time for a headliner I know nothing about and cannot claim to have had a lot of interest in seeing. Still, I was curious since I was there, so I stayed to check them out. As UFO came to the stage, I became acutely aware that I was on the very low end of the age scale among the audience. Now there is not something I can claim all that often anymore. The band came to the stage featuring two original members from the initial 1970 line up, singer Phil Mogg and drummer Andy Parker. What followed was 80-minutes of rock and roll. I did not know any of the songs and it did not matter.
UFO took the stage, the crowd cheered and they proceeded to tear it up. No, it was not like watching any of the young bands, in some ways it was better. This is not a band that is out there for the glory or the money, this is a group that loves to perform, they do it for themselves, they do it for the fans, but they mainly do it for the music. All of the band members put on solid performances, but there is one that grabbed me more than the others. Guitarist Vinnie Moore (who was all of 6 years old when the first UFO album came out) was phenomenal. The guy can shred. Towards the end of the set, I swear he went on a 10-minute instrumental that was mind blowing. I would see UFO again just to see him play again.
All things considered, this was a night of music that was not my usual cup of tea, but there was a lot to like. I am interested in seeing where Freakswitch goes and UFO is now on my radar as well.
Found this video someone shot at this show of UFO performing "Love to Love":
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