by Jack Downey '23 on February 22, 2023
A&E Co-Editor
Arts & Entertainment
After last semester’s raucous celebration of local music that took place at The Met, the excitement for the next one was through the roof. The recent performance by The Breeze in McPhail’s only added fuel to the fire, and when the next Met show was revealed to be taking place on Feb. 3, anticipation hit a fever pitch.
However, there was a massive, unforeseen problem that appeared on the forecast. The problem in question: subzero temperatures the likes of which New England hadn’t experienced in a long time. Anyone who went outside this past weekend quickly found out that there was no exaggeration in what meteorologists were saying: the biting cold and fierce winds made it positively miserable to be anywhere but indoors. Because of this, there was an understandable fear that the turnout for the concert would be lower than expected. This could not be farther from the truth.
Doors were set to open at 7:30 p.m., but because the line outside built up so quickly, the venue actually opened to the public earlier than that. By the time music was set to begin, the place was already packed in a way that PC shows at The Met hadn’t seen in a while. Perhaps people thought that all the energy from the show would warm them up, or maybe the cold just didn’t affect them as much. Whatever the reason, people showed up in force for the event, guaranteeing a wild night.
The first band to take the stage was The Grapes, formerly known as Jack Wilmot and Co., known for their laid back vibe and intriguing repertoire of newer alternative rock mixed with older classics. However, for this performance, the band was dialed in and loud, leading to their best performance thus far. Lead guitarist Ryan Peduto ’25 was front and center in the mix, ripping solo after solo that had the crowd cheering at every note. Singers Jack Wilmot ’24 and Daniel Ruse ’24 both delivered excellent vocal performances, and Alex Rzehak ’23, Ava Dobski ’25, and Brendan Greene ’23 provided a solid backbone on guitar, bass, and drums, respectively. After such a performance, the crowd was thoroughly hyped up for the bands to come.
After The Grapes came St. Joe and the Dorms. It would certainly be a challenge for the rock n’ roll trio to match or top the energy they brought to the last Met concert, but they managed to put on a show that was wild and chaotic even for them. Leaping and running around the stage, as well as off of it, the band ran through classics by The Ramones, The Who, and The Clash at lightning speed. They performed these songs at such a speed that they actually ran out of material to perform and had to ask the audience for requests. The crowd was invested in every minute as Griffin May ’24, Jack Downey ’23, and honorary Friar TJ Johnson tore through songs old and new. They even got Father Justin Bolger, O.P. to introduce them!
The last act of the night was The Breeze. They also billed it as a reunion of their high school lineup,performing as Next Level. Whatever the name of the band, they brought a powerful performance to The Met that had the crowd swaying, jumping, dancing, and belting out the lyrics with the band. PC students Julia Carson ’25 and Jordan McBride ’23, on vocals and keys respectively, were at the top of their game, keeping every member of the audience engaged. The rest of the band consisted of Jacob Calamar on guitar, Ben Carson on bass and vocals, and Corey Hall on drums. Each of these musicians was also top notch, and together, the band formed a tight-knit unit that performed classic songs with energy and strength. Truly a fantastic closer to a remarkable night.
Overall, the evening defied expectations and was truly a hit. The next one is rumored to take place in May, so stay tuned!