This week, I’d like to take some time to recap a show I was a part of earlier this month, as well as spotlight the artists I had the pleasure of sharing the stage with. It was a lovely night with music from Fish Stew, Sleep City, Plague Summer, and myself echoing off the pages of thousands of books at Lowercase on Washington Ave.
In a typical year (though it’s been a long time since we’ve had what I would consider a typical year), I will only play 3-5 shows, however, I will attend several dozen. Most weekends there’s someone good to hear and great friends to see at many of the small venues scattered across East Tennessee, and my mind is always turning over ideas about what ingredients (bands) would make the perfect soufflé (show roster).
Cam (Plague Summer) is an absolute, number one, first choice. In every iteration of Cam’s live performances over the years, they have always brought an intense energy in one way or another. When they were performing Noremac songs just a few years back, the tone was dark and sad but the energetic nature of their performance never dwindled because of that, in fact, it seems the more depressive the words to those Noremac songs were, the more lively and dynamic the execution became.
Plague Summer’s slightly more hopeful and loving lyrics, glitchy samples, and ambient instrumentals create a soundscape unlike anything I’ve heard before. And to have that all played live through probably the oldest mixing console / speaker cabinet I’ve seen at a show in years, and you’ve got a legendary set that will be talked about in hushed tones at the Pilot Light for years to come.
Just before we began promoting the show, Sleep City released a split with Johnson City’s own, Fairview. Both bands contributed two absolute rippers of songs, with Sleep City’s “MR. SMOOTHERS” melodic and electronic-laced jaunt being a real highlight. Their live setup was incredible, too, using backing tracks to really bring the studio experience to the live setting. It’s great to see some Midwest style emo / math representation out of Tennessee and Virginia.
If you think I won’t crowdkill at the next Sleep City show, stay home bro you’re gonna get yourself hurted.
The day I was first starting to talk to Cam about putting together a show, I was having breakfast with one of my closest friends and we were discussing bands in the area that were elusive. There was this earworm of a song called “I’m a Dog” I’d heard in someone’s Instagram story that had gotten stuck in my head off and on for a couple weeks, so we decided to track it down.
Thankfully, while Fish Stew doesn’t have any official music out yet (though they assured me at the show that a handful of tracks are on the way!), there is a great live recording from their set at Open Chord in Knoxville, featuring the very song I was looking for! Fish Stew brought that distinct garage rock intensity with some catchy originals and some well executed covers, all backed by a tight band and three great singers that were up there belting.
Lastly, there’s few things in this world greater than community and the spaces that facilitate it. A quick look at Lowercase Book’s past and future event page and it’s obvious that the owner, Bryce, is doing the absolute most to provide a safe and warm environment for a whole host of different event types. From book clubs to film screenings to the absolute stacked weekends of shows, there’s no place like Lowercase.
I’ve spent a lot of time in venues, and I can tell when a space is owned and operated by people who care about the experience of others. At a time when the number of DIY venues felt fewer and fewer, Lowercase is filling that hole left by old favorites shuttering, but continues to go above and beyond to provide a fun and unique experience with each show. It’s also the best bookshop in the area. And that’s on Thoreau.
If you’re in the Knoxville or East Tennessee area, I hope you’ll come out some time.
A BIG thanks to Haley and Cam for getting footage and photos of my set and to everyone who showed out this evening. It really was something special.
See you soon,
—Forrest
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