The guys at Shore Alternative are at it again, bringing you the best in local and national alternative acts here at the (real) Jersey Shore. This week they’re presenting another great night at Watermark featuring Fifteen Fleeting, Love Automatic, and Blackbells. What I particularly enjoy about S*ALT bills is that the bands always complement each other (something that even seasoned promoters still don’t get). The bills are always a nice representation of overlapping genres and sounds that make you want to stay for the whole evening, instead of uncomfortably sneaking out to the next bar after the one band you came out for has played.
Black Bells At Mercury Lounge, NYC
I’ve checked out the bands at Shore Alternative’s Listening Booth, and I am happy to say that I’m looking forward to the night. Blackbells has been touring in the US and Canada, with stops at SXSW and the CMJ festival to their credit. They have a great British Alternative Rock thing going on, with tasteful references to Oasis and Richard Ashcroft.I’m hearing a little Supergrass and Stone Roses in there too, I think.
Love Automatic has a nice Electro-Rock sound that reminds me of greats like Everything But The Girl. This is a genre that is difficult to pull off, since it’s easy to have endlessly wandering, numbing beats or literal 80’s references in this style, but these guys do it nicely, and their upcoming EP, Organ Donor demonstrates their skill set in all it’s Dance Floor Glory.
Fifteen Fleeting has the distinction of having recently opened for NJ heroes like My Chemical Romance and Gaslight Anthem. A visit to their Facebook page will land you at the song “ Brace”, which is an extremely well executed foray into Dark Electro Rock in the vein of one of my personal favorites, Massive Attack. It’s been a long time since I’ve heard a band get this sound right, so it’s easy to see why a lot of industry people are betting on them as an up and coming force in the very near future.
Fifteen Fleeting
So join me as I turn off the TV, get my face out of the fridge, skip the mall and pass on all the other soul-sucking passé excuses for entertainment this Wednesday and make your way to Watermark instead. I’m telling you, watching real live bands play out of real live instruments is the best real live entertainment around.
XOXO
Ang
