Show Review

My first time seeing the Rx Bandits was an incredible time. I was blown away, to say the very least. Okay, so I left out the local opener, and I apologize to them for completely forgetting their name. They weren't decent anyways, but I think it's always ignorant to leave people out. Anyways, The Stereo was also supposed to play this show and it was disappointing they didn't, but The Format probably made up for their absence with an insane performance.

The Format is one of those bands I have always liked, but this show made me appreciate them even more. Soft, quiet, and somber, they were as sincere as they were solid. They did a great job playing songs from their upcoming LP, "Interventions And Lullabies." I loved the singer's voice and the band's original lineup of a banjo player, keyboardist/guitarist, guitarist, acoustic guitarist, drummer, and singer. Great movement and lots of rock-age. They sounded as crisp as the new songs sound, and "The First Single" sounded clean as hell. They played a few slower songs but didn't drag on at all, and the singer's style was unmatched. Awesome.

Still, it's not too hard to say Rx Bandits were the act of the night. They played so long and did such an amazing job I completely forgot what they opened with, but they played favorites spanning their last two discs, such as favorites like "Analog Boy," "In All Rwanda's Glory," and "Who Would've Thought." Of course they played "Sell You Beautiful" and "Prophetic" and "Never Slep So Soundly." It seems, they performed almost all of the songs I love by them; maybe that's why I had such a good time. That's probably not the only reason though. Their energy, their charisma, and their simple, raw talent was worth seeing alone. The two guitarists were ridculous, doing 5 minute long jams and the rhythms the drummer put off combined with the awesome horn players / backup singers was literally stunning. I cannot express how much I loved the show tonight. Rx Bandits are a band you have to see; they will blow your mind, and have so much unrecognized talent. Finally they are headlining, meaning lots of songs and extended sets. This is one of the 3 shows you should see this year. Hands down. So go and get your ticket already, it's what, $10 for an hour of insane entertainment.

review by Andrew Martin