WBRU’s Cheap Date concert series kicked off, in every sense of the word, with a great show by Monty Are I last Saturday (1/26). The cold could not keep the masses from lining up well before the show began, and there were even a few surprises for the BRU Crew as they were giving out prizes to the faithful fans. People were making impromptu games out Mike and Ikes and storage bins, and an artistically gifted fan even drew a Monty Are I banner before the doors opened. And Pancake, if you’re reading this, we would love to have footage of your sick freestyle.The opening bands all have strong local roots, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they are unfamiliar to anyone outside of Rhode Island. The first band, JumpJump Juliet, played their first show with their new, fourteen year old lead singer Viana Newton, and it was a little apparent that the band lacked the experience of the other acts. The lead vocalist, guitarist, and bassist moved liked sliders on a mixing board, but they made up for uninspired stage presence with some solid music. Even the crowd, which wasn’t as receptive to the band after the first few songs, was hooting and hollering by their last song, which was easily JumpJump Juliet’s best both instrumentally and vocally.

If Lupo’s wasn’t full before JumpJump Juliet started playing, it was packed by the time Leah Stargazing took stage. It was apparent that there were some people who came out just to see this band, as the band received several effusive call outs while they were changing sets. This is a band that knows how to put on a show. Leah Stargazing pulled no stops in their stage antics, headed by lead vocalist/guitarist Jordan Fielding and bassist Brandon Fielding. No stage box was safe as everyone not tied down by a drum kit leaped around without abandon, and the crowd loved it. There were many good songs in the six song set, but “Eulogy” and “Pretty Petty Baby” were standouts.

The third opener, The Invite, qualifies as the black sheep of the show. Sounding more like Rascal Flatts than any of the other bands, The Invite was noticeable change in the pace of the show, and the audience was clearly less receptive than it was during Leah Stargazing and JumpJump Juliet. That was a bit of a shame, because The Invite was just as talented as and of the other bands. After resolving some technical difficulties, the band put out some good songs, like “Still my Baby” and “Beside You.” What’s more impressive than the music is the grounded attitude of the band as a whole. The Invite used the breaks between songs to tell us about things like their trips to Nashville to record some of their songs, so you could get a feel for the band and what they were about by the time the left stage.

After The Invite closed, the crowd immediately started chanting for, unsurprisingly, the best act of the show: Monty Are I. This show was very much a coming full circle for the band, and they were very thankful to be back in Providence and grateful for the fans that have supported them throughout their career. And what better way to thank the fans than giving them more of what they want?

The lighting was just as part of the set as any of the band members, using everything from the bright strobes to accent the chaotic breaks in the songs to soft spotlights to draw attention back to the crowd, while utilizing every disco ball and colored filter Lupo’s had to offer. Monty Are I played two kinds of songs: intense and relentless ones, and ones that started out mellower before revving up to the same (and often, greater) energy of the rest of the songs. And that wasn’t a bad thing. True veterans, Monty Are I never left the audience bored, performing trumpet and trombone twirls, and more guitar tomfoolery than I could pick up. There isn’t even a point to singling out extraordinary songs; Monty Are I kept topping themselves from one song to another. It was truly a great show.

As great as the concert was, the coolest part of the entire night was having the opportunity to meet the bands after the show. Each and every member from all of the bands was standing in the back of the main venue talking to
anyone who went to the trouble to approach them. In a time where bands view touring as just another way to promote their CDs, it was definitely refreshing to see the bands humble themselves and try to get to know the fans that let them do what they do. I talked to all of the bands, and everyone from JumpJump Juliet to Monty Are I couldn’t stop thanking the fans for making performing worth it. Leah Stargazing’s Jordan Fielding summed up the concert better than I ever could: “pretty rocktastic, with a side of kick-you-in-the-face-good.” He made sure I included the hyphens.

SETLIST:
1. Only the Weak
2. Anchor and Hope
3. Castle Bound
4. O Brother
5. Tie off your Veins
6. Sand Rider’s Dooms Day
7. In this Legacy
8. Metropolis
9. Just in Time
10. Dublin Waltz
11. Convoy of Angels

ENCORE:
12. Hearts Bleeding
13. Between the Sheets