On this surprisingly lovely Friday evening, the herald has been invited out to bear witness at Blue Light Sessions and an evening hosted by Todd Hancock for a monthly podcast session. The format is different, with the music being interspersed with conversation between songs.
It is a unique scenario tonight, as only one band will do two sets since the other band had to drop out. The fantastic sound associated with the venue and the stellar rock on offer from the solo supplicant portends a night sure to please Him.
SLEEPCIRCLE
Having been a while since their last offering, I was stoked to catch this quintet as they offered up their multiple sets of killer melodic hard rock. Originally slated to open the set with a brand new song, they were thrown a curve ball by the host when they asked them to open with their first-ever song written as a band, followed by the new one.
This allowed us to hear the band’s growth and how they have changed since the first song. The host would jump in after a song and chit-chat a little with their finely tuned skills acquired as a longtime radio personality, always keeping it amusing and interesting.
The amount of talking cut back on the number of songs, usually in a half-hour set. It was different than usual, for sure, but I dug the intimate, chill feeling, evoking more of a “chill in a living room” vibe rather than a rock show.
The songs were fucking incredible, with the sound being as close to perfect as it could be. Everything came across crystal clear. With such power and beauty in their voice, the lead singer came soaring across the thick yet very discernable noise.
One of their new songs featured one of the guitarists busting out a killer scream, definitely a new feature, and it fucking killed. It was a little quiet but still prominent, and it fit perfectly in contrast to the gorgeous, soaring vocals of the lead.
Despite the small space, I found ample room to flow to their beautiful offering, as this space was mainly designed for standing rather than flailing. Given the proper sonic motivation, nothing can actually stop me from moving.
The second set was just as beautiful, possibly even more so, as they had warmed to the space and the unique format. The conversation flowed more easily, with the host bringing out the bands’ personalities.
I honed in on the bass more for this set and was impressed as fuck by their playing. Weaving through the songs with a great flow, they connected with the drummer really fucking well, who was tight and expressive the whole night. The two were crystal clear and an absolute blast to move around to.
The Toddcast Podcast does a show on the last Friday of every month at Blue Light Sessions. While I must admit the format struck me as odd initially, by the end, I absolutely loved what they were doing and will definitely be back for another one down the road.
As it was a short night, the night ended at the Fox Cabaret, where it was hip-hop hits from the past four decades, allowing me to properly stretch my legs till about one in the morning, maximizing the pleasurable offerings for Him.
Always a pleasure to please the herald!