Saturday, July 19, 2008
The Spin The Spin: How I Became the Bomb at The Basement
Posted by The Spin on Sat, Jul 19, 2008 at 12:05 PM
Those of us who couldn’t rustle up the scratch to make it to Pitchfork still managed to have our thirst for some kitschy indie tunes slaked with a much-anticipated performance from How I Became the Bomb Friday night. When we entered The Basement, we were delighted to see its newest addition—a brand new bar at the front of the venue. While it’s cash-only, it still beats the hell out of having to fight your way through the seething masses each time you want a fresh PBR. Well done, Grimey. Well done.
Practiced Murfreesboro popsters Velcro Stars may have looked slightly like a shrunken-down Decemberists, but their brainy, upbeat style of indie pop sounded a bit more like Superchunk with occasional Malkmus-like vocal inflection. The Stars’ set was endearing, warm and peppered with a few lively instrumental stretches, though the lyrics were a bit difficult to make out. They closed with an uncharacteristically funky tune that was full of playful falsetto.
By the time New York natives The Rosewood Thieves took the stage, the crowd had already begun to fill out. Lead singer Erick Jordan’s ultra-wet, out-in-front vocals were offset by a backdrop of ghostly, vaguely psychedelic guitars and badass organs that left us scratching our heads as to just what the Thieves’ influences might be. (Maybe The Band? Dr. Dog?) The nebulous crew of Northern rockers played about a dozen bluesy tunes, the most art-rocky of which could even be OK Computer B-sides…if Thom Yorke were a sassy, soulful youngster from the Big Apple.
The Basement was all sticky, jerking bodies as soon as How I Became the Bomb kicked off their set. HIBTB played the usual gems (“Killing Machine”, “Secret Identity”, etc.), but also included a few brand new tunes off their forthcoming album that were packed with fat synth parts and smooth, hooky bass—and yes, they were a bit of a step in a mature new direction, though they retained the bright, youthful vigor we’ve all come to expect from The Bomb. Singer Jon Burr was his usual sharp self, adjusting his rings and trading energy with the crowd, which was made up of a more than a few baby-faced new fans. No matter your opinion of How I Became the Bomb, you can’t hate on a band that so adeptly utilizes a vocoder. The boys from the Boro showed us once again just how to be bomb.
Comments (45)
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HIBTB is quintessential EMO CRAP...look at these pictures...the singer looks like he's crying.
i'd be crying, too, if i had to play and sing this drivel.
I could say much worse about this band.
They play the same song over and over again.
The lead singer thinks he's an Emo version of Elvis.
PUke
Do you mean the "first" picture? If so that is Shane. He just needs a little attention, he was probably just a dweeb that got beat up a lot in high school.
Does Shane have down syndrome or does he just look that way? I'm not trying to be mean or make fun of handicap people, I'm just curious.
This guy, Shane, I guess, didn't bargain on this kind of negative attention. Cut your hair, you damn indie rock hippie!!!!!
Shane could play the lead in the retarded theatrical version of Robin Hood with that fucking stupid haircut.
well... ya know, agry, that man is actually quite adept in the sport of fencing. i shit you not. i've seen him fence on top of cars at acklen house parties though i'm not sure whose honor he was defending/offending. en garde!
Oh really, I wish he would try and attack me. I would snatch Shane's saber and shove it up his 90 pound retarded ass!
I heard Shane broke edge like two years ago (the same night he lost his virginity) and now he's trying to get cover ups. If I see that dude in the pit I'm gonna pick up change all of his pouser ass!
Shane and I are very close and it Blows my mind that you people would write such horrible things about such a beautiful person. Shane has more love to give than anyone I've ever known. I feel sorry for all of you that will never get to experience his love in your your lives. I want all of you to think Long and Hard about what you are typing about one of Christ's blessings to this earth. I have been close to Shane for sooo Long that it's just as Hard for me to look at your comments. If Shane reads these blog comments (God Forbid!) it would break his heart in half. It might drive him to leave town. So please think Long and Hard for a Long time about how Hard this will be for him.
I hate that piece of shit Shane!I swear to fuckin Chist that the next time I see that dude I'm gonna blog comment the shit out of him the next day. If I weren't so self repressed and could actually grow a boner, I would probably ask him if he liked thai food or wanted to go see a show.... I'm mean kick his ass....or suck his dick. Shane's full of shit. I just wish he'd say hello to me in public instead of acting all stuck up like he doesn't recognize me even though we're facebook/myspace/fake friends.
Pay attention to the caps, d. - God Forbid Shane Blows Christ Long and Hard. Party tards love obvious jokes like that. I'm surprised Bro wasn't in there. Or Fag. They love that one too.
I wish that jerkoff would leave town. Go the fuck back to West Virginia you inbred looking fuck. You think your so cool, here is a surprise, people don't think you are, and tell your mom to stop posting on here and stick up for yourself.
And stay away from my girlfriend you son of bitch. What you guys had together is over now. I'm serious.
That's what I'm sayin' dude. I think we might need to get some troll repellent...
I heard Shane likes the velcro stars, so I stopped listening to them. Go to hell Shane!
shane spresser may be a lot of things--a sometime wearer of well-groomed mustaches, a bummer of way too many cigarettes, and a whiffleball powerhouse. but only now can you count "lightning rod for controversy" among them.
i don't know who shane is, but that picture is fine — what's so poserish about having shoulder-length hair? it seems there are one or two people who vehemently dislike him and have a lot of free time. once again, suck it.
Any girl that would screw around with Shane is a scabby skank and not worth fighting over anyway.
Hey Bawston Shawn, you should spray some of that "troll repellent" up your ass so "High on Life" can't spend so much time in there.
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