By Caitlyn Gilvary

If you happened to be in the Hofstra USA area Tuesday night at around 7pm, you would have noticed a drastic change in the usual Dutch Treats crowd. Out of the woodwork, handfuls upon calloused handfuls of brooding, trendy musicians and fans lined up for an As Tall As Lions show. Apparently, this show was a big deal.

Inside the dimly lit, familiar venue, kids gathered at tables and chatted busily about the evening ahead. After 20 minutes or so, the conversations turned to impatient observations of the lack of live music and their anticipation for a band, any band, to take the stage. As it turned out, the first band playing was New York locals, Lights Resolve. Initially, the space surrounding the stage was entirely bare. Slowly but surely, the crowd rose from their seats and gathered around the already performing band. Lights Resolve seemed decent enough upon initial impression. The trio was a saccharine pop-punk act who were, surprisingly, not inept at their respective instruments. The chorus of their first song was a catchy series of “Ooooh”s and similar exclamations. This was contagious enough to persuade even the most cynical of listeners into a sway. However, the novelty of a word-free refrain wore after the third song and was even more tired by their last. All in all, the band seemed to being trying too hard and as a result came off as obnoxiously trite. Nothing could salvage their set, not even having a female guest vocalist join them on stage to finish one of those incoherent choruses. Something must be said for their heart and obvious passion for their position as performers, and that is: get a day job.

Following Lights Resolve was Long Island natives, The Mercurial. They seemed to have brought their own fan base, standing cohesively in the center of the crowd shouting inside jokes to the band members and inspiring them to play their hardest. The enthusiasm from the now thickening horde of sweaty college students was reflected in the fervor of the band. Their music was noticeably more original than the previous band’s, seeming to be an edgy alternative number complete with keyboard and striking dual vocals. Each number demanded involvement from the skeptical spectators and they won over the crowd by their final song, “Sloth vs Platypus FIGHT.” During this track, their invitation to the audience to join them on stage was met with enthusiastic participation and a particularly exciting finale. Their stage presence was irrefutably powerful and brought their otherwise barely-above-mediocre sound to an appreciable level.

After a short break, As Tall As Lions appeared beneath the ever-changing glow of colored lights. If it is possible for headliners can steal a show, they did. Through their use of uncommonly utilized instruments such as bongos, maracas and trumpets, they captured the audience. Everyone from longtime listeners to first time fans was able to appreciate the band’s use of the stage and dedication to the music. There was an inclusiveness achieved only because they played several songs that hadn’t been released on either of their previous full lengths and were allegedly played live for the first time only here at Hofstra. The slow tempos and soft sounds of talented teen angst were only compromised by the fact that they are no longer teenagers. Impressively enough, members of the band were skilled on several instruments and thus spent the night moving from one to the other in a self-proclaimed act of “Chinese fire drill.” The twelve-song set seemed to have been endless while the audience was trapped inside one of the many captivating melodies, but it wasn’t long before their time was up and those hot, colored lights had risen into cold, fluorescent ones.

(sean gates)

(Sean Gates)