Flashback: Goodnight, Sunrise’s 3rd Birthday Bash W/ Rulers Of The Moon, The Dying Arts 5/11/13

Editorial: Amber Waves; Photography – Amber Waves, J.J. Deogracias

So maybe it took us a month or so to post this. Sue us.

Were you there when Rulers Of The Moon kicked the evening off with a thrashing sound that falls somewhere between old school punk and what I imagine Nirvana would have sounded like if Kurt Cobain were less morose? We were, and we thoroughly enjoyed a good moshy bounce as the power-chord-peppered punk kept assailing our senses. Stage presence was in abundance as the crowd was warmed up proper. A band on the cusp of something rather spectacular, methinks.

Did you bear witness to The Dying Arts rocking the Silver Dollar crowd out to a sampling of what their 2013 debut will be offering our iPods? We certainly did, and if you’re not on board, best grab a ticket. When OTM was first sent the video for single “Authentic”, my spider senses tingled: I suspected this was a band best enjoyed live. I was not mistaken.

Let me shoot it straight: I know how it feels now when people listen to current music and feel old. All of the grunge glory I Smart-List on iTunes (lovingly titled ZOMG Emo Teen Years) is fading fast — looking at your latest single, Foo Fighters. Luckily, The Dying Arts is hell-bent on resurrecting that say it with oomph/rock you against a wall vibe sorely lacking in current years (seriously, Edge 102.1: I dig “Ho Hey” but The Lumineers are not alternative frickin’ rock, alright?). Hell, they even throw in twists of 80s prog just for that hip shake factor.

And then the birthday band loaded with members boasting birthdays individually took the stage and really, if you’ve ever been to a Goodnight, Sunrise gig, you know they’ll melt your face and dance your feet off at the same time. Strung out on candy from their loot bags (because they are the coolest band around this town) and blowing bubbles between snapshots, we lost our minds to a set rich in tracks from the awesome and soon-to-be-properly-reviewed-if-they’d-stop-tempting-us-to-shows album Create/Destroy/Create as well as a cover of Alanis Morissette’s “You Oughta Know” with Greg LeGros and well… dude, you recover from that. I dare you.

So yes, we waited a month to post about this spectacular night of booze-toasted birthday madness. But you now understand why you really shouldn’t have missed it and are enjoying the pictures, right? And because OTM loves you, enjoy this video my tipsy ass recorded for posterity once I realized two lines in what magic was happening before us.