At The Drive-In, Jealous Sound & The Lonely Kings

Known to indie rockers far and wide for their powerful music, blistering live shows and unbound energy, At The Drive In is fast becoming known by the masses as the opening act on recent strings of Rage Against The Machine dates. Mainstream audiences will be further subjected to the band as the opening act on the postponed Rhyme & Reason tour featuring Rage and the Beastie Boys (the tour was postponed because B-Boy Mike D fell off his low-rider bicycle in New York two weeks ago and needs surgery). In the meantime, this El Paso, Texas quintet will passing the time by playing shows of all sizes all over the world. Luckily for ATDI fans, one of these time-killing dates happened to be a sold out show at San Francisco’s hipster spot, Bottom of the Hill, with Jealous Sound and Lonely Kings.

Lonely Kings, who kicked off the event, hail from Santa Cruz, and fans of new-jack punk acts like Tenpin, Watch It Burn and Load Star (it’s that Little Kids Records connection) could have identified with the Kings — in fact, the Lonely Kings gave a friendly shout out to fellow Santa Cruz outfit Load Star. The Kings’ sound is most definitely punk-y, washed over with plenty of melodic distortion, vocal harmonies and double-timed rhythms that blended the dual guitar, single bass attack with heavy-hitting drumming and tight, crisp cymbal work. It’s not necessarily predictable music, but it is certainly familiar, rife with the tenets that make contemporary punk, including tongue-in-cheek lyrics that run the subjective gamut. The Lonely Kings kicked a short set as the venue filled up, and with the introduction of Jealous Sound, the vibe in the room changed a bit, from punk to crunchy, sensitive indie rock.

It should be known that Jealous Sound is fronted by Blair Shehan, former singer / guitar player of Northstate indie powerhouse act Knapsack. It’s easy, therefore, to trace Jealous Sound’s vibe back to Knapsack — driving yet emotional indie rock with Shehan’s high-pitched vocals leading the charge — only a bit slower overall, with some more crunch, adding an affirmative effect to the music’s sensitive side. This Los Angeles-based four-piece were able to pull off a pretty solid, albeit short, set, enthralling most of the crowd, who seemed to be trying to figure out if they should be rocking out or feeling the power of Shehan’s sensitive and personal lyrics. Most just stayed their ground and bobbed their heads like good little indie soldiers.

Both opening acts presented strong showings; each was a mere prelude, however, to the live power and unmistakable talent of At The Drive In, and the room reflected that. In this mixed-up crowd — which included the hippest of indie hipsters, the dirtiest of tattooed punks, former Chicoans, backwards baseball-cap-wearing bro-bras and random kids off the streets — not one soul wasn’t fired up to see ATDI. They’re the kind of band that appeals to just about any fan of rock music because their material encompasses pretty much every facet rock can offer.

Throughout the group’s set, various styles reared their heads, from lyrical delivery that bordered on insane fast-paced, melodic rapping backed by hard-driving thunderous and thought-out rock, to watery echoed vocals that were as emotional as the sonic emanations they accompanied, courtesy of guitar, bass and keyboard (played part-time by Jim, one of the band’s two guitarists). At The Drive In knows how to set the stage as well. Though in past interviews they have expressed a desire to let the music speak for itself and not to focus too much on the energy they exude, it’s impossible not to notice the ferocity with which they play. For example, both guitarist Omar and frontman Cedric used the brick wall on the side of the small Bottom of the Hill stage as a bouncing point, slamming into it and recoiling with all the energy and drive they could muster, driven by the music throughout the entire set.

The impressive musical sense of At the Drive In is only bolstered, not overshadowed, by their explosive live show, and though this may be one of the last times they play a venue as small as Bottom of the Hill, it must be noted that regardless of where they’re playing and for whom, it’s apparent that they do what they do at level that may very well surpass the rock giants currently giving them their "big break."

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