Big moves were made by Garst last weekend as they headlined Reverb Lounge with a packed bill of friends in The Public, The Moose and Bad Self Portraits. Costumes were donned by show-goers and bands alike at this "Omahalloween" 2023, and the reception could not have been warmer.
To open the show, Bad Self Portraits took to the stage and opened with a flawless cover of Limp Bizkit's "Break Stuff," showcasing the vocal and stylistic range of drummer Jesse White, as well as the overall virtuosity of each respective member of the band. With BSP starting the night out, the tone was set for a great evening already.
The Public, a group of party-loving sweethearts from St. Louis Missouri played second on the bill, making an excellent first impression on their first Reverb Lounge crowd. Tunes old and new were played and the party began to ramp up as more concertgoers were trickling in during and just before their set. New music from The Public can be expected soon!
The Moose are an elusive group, constantly venturing in new directions and experimenting with new sounds. Last time Garst had hooked up with them, they were rehearsing a cover of "Foreplay/Long Time" by Boston for a hometown show of theirs in Kansas City. This encounter with The Moose however proved to be soaked in prog and sludge, much like the sound of their recent release "Undying Nightmares of Incomprehensible Doom." The audience looked on at them with disbelief at first but heads began to move as the set progressed. By the end the crowd was completely won over by their classic prog sound with new age instrumentation and prolific approach. The Moose will return very shortly I'm sure!
This Garst set was a little different. Cannon, having broken a wrist and a rib a few weeks prior to the show, we had to think fast on how we were to make this show work, and still feel as special as we thought it was. Our solution? We brought out Nathan Wolf. Entire articles can be dedicated to Nathan Wolf, whether it be his work with local avant staple Pagan Athletes, his collaborations with local artists like Kyle Jessen or Vignesh Shankar (whom he also played with the night of October 28!), or simply his relentless dedication to making music that leaves no questions unasked and no conventions unchallenged, Nathan Wolf is a force to be reckoned with. We were lucky he was available the evening of 10/28, so we got him onboard for a few practices.
Rather than simply sitting this show out, Cannon elected to take the helm at lead vocals for this set. Having recently taken towards the showmanship of hardcore bands (in addition to their sound), Cannon came out onstage ready to prove something. What it was remained to be seen at first, but quickly became evident: to party, all of us, together. All in all I believe it was proven by all through sheer exchange of energy. It was really something special and we thank everyone who attended.
Garst's next show is 11/30 back at Reverb Lounge with Bad Self Portraits, where we will support for their release of their "Amsterdam" EP. Their split single "Pete / Permanence" is out now
via a self-release, having been released this Halloween. Go give it a listen.
Thus concludes the longest update so far! Take care y'all.
Poster by Yasmine Sayre
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