Adema, Camera, Biotiqua & Red With Envy

Nothing says high school’s out like permanent hearing damage. Finally set free for the summer, hundreds of teens augmented the already large crowd at The Brick Works last Sunday as local rockers, Red With Envy, opened up the night. With undeniably catchy instrumental hooks and strong, raspy vocals coming from a singer who spent much of the show crouching like a gargoyle atop a large lighting box, the group definitely connected to the audience. After a short but effective set, the band and their gargoyle quickly cleared the stage in order to make way for Biotiqua.
In a word, the music coming from the night’s second act was unrelenting — there was barely any breathing room between notes. Not that it was necessarily a bad thing — mosh pits taking up nearly half the floor broke out during the many crushing instrumental breakdowns in their set. Instead of focusing on dynamic changes, as many bands have a tendency to do, much of Biotiqua’s music revolved around its rhythmic elements (tempo changes, creative variations on the standard 4/4 rock beat, etc.). After a set that obviously sat well with the growing crowd, the band invited everyone to come hang out with them while the stage was being set for Camera.
"Can I get everyone to give me the finger?" asked Camera’s frontman, pointing a Polaroid at the now massive crowd as his bandmates took their places on the stage behind him. The crowd was happy to flip him off, but his camera didn’t work. "Damn, I broke it," he muttered. "Oh well, who wants it?" Many hands went up and he tossed the broken camera out into the middle of them as the band launched into their melodically driven version of heavy rock that kept the sea of heads on the floor bouncing happily. The transitions were tight, the vocals were strong, the hooks were inventive and best of all, Camera’s frontman had amazing stage presence — he was charismatic and engaging without giving the impression that he was trying hard to do so.
About five minutes after Camera finished their set, the crowd made an attempt at bringing Adema out to the stage by chanting, "Adema! Adema!" Apparently, they didn’t realize that half-assembled drum kit was a good indication that the band wasn’t going to be playing anytime soon.
After the usual half-hour intermission, the lights went down and the crowd began chanting again. This time the chanting worked — Adema came out and delivered exactly what everyone came to hear: aggressive guitars, pounding drum beats and the distinctive vocals of frontman Marky Chavez. It was a strong set from beginning to end, highlighted by their hit single "The Way You Like It," and "Unstable," the powerful title-track single from their soon-to-be-released new album. When all was said and done, the teens set out to late night diners, the college kids headed to the bars and everyone was left satisfied in the knowledge that summer had officially begun.

– Dana Hocking
– Photo by Matt Beier

Bookmark: