The Casket Lottery, Rocky Votolato, Time Spent Driving & The Autumn Era

Without any introduction, The Autumn Era began a convulsive set of violently emotional songs. The raw sentiment behind their performance was there, and they seemed to pick up confidence as they went along. By the time they finished their closing song, "More Often Than Not," which boasted an unnerving dual guitar attack, The Autumn Era had succeeded in getting the night off to an emphatic start. Unfortunately, however, their mix was muddled. A lot of the lead vocals were lost when overdriven bass and guitars kicked in, and the keyboards, along with backing vocals, were almost completely drowned out.
Time Spent Driving picked up where the opening band left off - playing loud, emotionally charged music. This four-piece from Santa Cruz, CA brought a more melodic presence to the stage thanks to harmonized vocals from fidgeting frontman Jon Cattivera and bassist Mike Hicks. Kem Callione's drumming was up front, and his pinpoint stops punctuated fevered guitar phrasing. Their music had a roaming, reflective quality - living up to the name, the songs had the air of something mulled and agonized over in a car, alone, while chain smoking cigarettes. Staccato chords that elongated verses and gave way to abrupt, jagged eruptions buoyed Cattivera's yearning, regretful lyrics in songs like "Low Light."
Proving that blaring distorted guitars aren't necessary for generating powerful music was solo performer Rocky Votolato. Singing with a smooth rasp to his soulful, heartfelt voice, and playing acoustically, Votolato provided a nice break from the aggressive sounds of the previous two acts without sacrificing any intensity. The Seattle-based performer played songs that ranged from the straightforward rock of "Suicide Medicine" to more folk sounding numbers like "Rain Will Come" and "Like Silver." Good technique strengthened Votolato's impassioned strumming - using palm muting, finger picking and pitch bending to keep his sound interesting and dynamic. His voice, however, really drove the music home. While his delivery was often conversational, Rocky's vocals remained strong and steady while belting out long, sustained notes.
The Casket Lottery, a three-piece from Kansas City, Missouri, got the audience to its feet. The band played the previous night in Seattle, but the long drive didn't kill their energy. Again, the vocals were low. Instead of trying to fix the problem, bass player Stacy Hilt and guitarist Nathan Ellis decided to scream louder - maybe not the best solution, but it worked, and I admired the effort. Hilt and Ellis churned about and took turns howling into the mic. Nate Richardson Jr. on drums was ferocious throughout, especially on the aptly titled "Sick," where the rhythm was so unrelenting I thought he might spontaneously combust. Their performance wasn't pretty by any means, but it was extremely effective. "Keep Searching" and "Smoke in Mirrors" were devastating and hypnotic like the aftermath of a car wreck. The sound wasn't always perfect, but it didn't have to be. The Casket Lottery fuckin' rocked, and brought a raucous show to a fitting close.
- James Barone

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