Clothes, Caver Commodore and Mississippi Shakedown, brought the volume with explosive performances on Thursday, April 27 at the Thirsty Hippo.
Clothes is an indie, shoegaze band that drummer Colin Cameron said is a sub-genre of music that relies heavily on strange effects and loud instrumentals.
Cameron said the group plans to release a new EP soon, but has not settled on a release date. Clothes have, however, released a single, “Never Home,” in anticipation of the aforementioned EP. “Never Home can be found on Spotify and iTunes.
“There is not a sense of carelessness, but carefreeness when we get up there [on stage,]” bassist John Arender said.
Cameron said the band came together for fun and hope that is evident when they play. “Our songs were born out of our friendship,” Cameron said.
Carver Commodore, a rock band from Florence, Alabama, is led by guitarist and vocalist Payton Pruitt. Pruitt said the band subverts audiences expectations of what rock means and prides themselves on their well-practiced performances.
“In the genre, it is ‘sex, drugs and rock and roll,’ but a lot of our songs don’t align with that lifestyle. [Our music] is about commitment and Christianity, though it isn’t worship music.” Pruitt said.
Phillip Blevins, the guitarist, said they began working on a full-length album that should be released within a year.
“I’ve been in a lot of other bands, but it was never straight rock and roll,” Noah Freeman, Carver Commodore drummer, said. “This was one of the last [genres of music] I thought I would be playing, but ever since I joined the band, I have a new developed love for the genre.”
The Mississippi Shakedown is a rock duo composed of guitarist Chad Edward Cox and drummer Zach Smith.
“We try to keep [our sound] simple and raw,” Smith said. “We like to keep it as real as possible.”
Like Carver Commodore and Clothes, Mississippi Shakedown is working on an album. Cox hopes it will be released within five or six months.
Cox said Mississippi Shakedown formed nine years ago, but he and Smith have only played together for a year.
“I feel like we are constantly communicating and listening to each other,” Smith said. “It is fun to look back at videos because it seems like [Smith’s] eyes never leave me. A lot of our set, my eyes are closed and I am throwing him curve balls not even knowing,” Cox said.
Cox said they are not missing anything without a bassist or other instruments that might level their sound.
“I think we’ve found a way to keep [the sound] full. I don’t find anything lacking, but I may be a little biased,” Cox said.
