by The Cowl Editor on April 4, 2019
Music
by Peter Keough ’20 A&E Staff
“It’s kind of weird that there hasn’t been any stagediving yet, right? First person to stage dive gets a free t-shirt!” These were the first words spoken by Kory Gregory, lead singer of the alternative/punk band Prince Daddy & The Hyena as he took the stage late on Friday, March 29. Less than five minutes later, the crowd at a Pawtucket music venue, The Met, was jumping, moshing, and bouncing all over the stage and dance floor.
This sort of semi-organized chaos is perhaps the most accurate way to describe the night as a whole, as it persisted through each of the four separate sets performed by the bands hosted. From the first set by the Montclair, New Jersey-band, Hit Like A Girl, through the dance-filled performance by the Michigan-bred band, Mover Shaker, not one member of the crowd opted to stand still. This energy built and built throughout the night, culminating with the headlining set by Berkeley, California’s Mom Jeans.
None of the bands lacked energy either, as each ripped through their sets with passion and flair to spare. Hit Like A Girl fervently screamed their lyrics into the crowd, while Mover Shaker strutted and spun their way around the stage, shredding impassioned guitar solos and swelling synthesized grooves. The members of Prince Daddy & The Hyena, besides having one of the more interesting band names in today’s music landscape, built on each other’s energy and provided fans with the perfect soundtrack to their crowd surfing and stagediving.
When the headliners finally took the stage, Mom Jeans’ lead singer Eric Butler spoke about the show and the tour as a whole, focusing mainly on the people around him. He spoke not only about his gratitude for the fans, but also for the other bands who embarked on tour with Mom Jeans, and “how f*****g cool it is to actually be on tour with your best friends.” This kinship between the bands was evident throughout the show, as members of supporting bands often stood towards the back of the stage and sang along with whichever band was performing at the time.
This often ventured past backstage support, as members of these bands would run on and off stage to sing choruses, rip guitar solos, or even play the trombone. It was often difficult to figure out where one band ended and the next began, and this made the sets that much more special and entertaining for all.
The clear support of each of the bands towards each other and the crowd of fans was exemplified not only in their shared stage presence, but also in the promotion of a charity founded by the members of Hit Like A Girl. Called “No More Dysphoria,” this nonprofit seeks to assist transgender and genderqueer individuals with their difficult and expensive transitions. Each band made sure to promote this nonprofit, and in doing so showed not only their concern for one another, but for often-marginalized members of our society who could use the recognition and support.
By the end of the show, the audience was left with sore limbs, ringing ears, and smiles on their faces. But throughout all of the lively and raucous performances, one thing was abundantly clear: these bands were more than grateful to be performing with each other and for their audience, who was extremely happy to have them there.