NumberOneGun, Emery, The Americas & Seven Dollar Jacket

What would’ve otherwise been a compelling evening of contemporary rock music, this past Tuesday at The Brick Works was rendered all the more significant by the circumstances surrounding the festivities: this show marked the national release of NumberOneGun’s debut full-length, Celebrate Mistakes, as well served as the video-shoot for the album’s first single, “On & On.” Needless to say, anticipation was the order of the day and NumberOneGun, with a bit of help from their friends, did not disappoint.
As the block-and-a-half long line of eager, mostly youthful, ticket holders made their way into the building, Chico, California, locals Seven Dollar Jacket, last minute replacements for no-shows Watashi WA, did their best to start things off. With a sound recalling the halcyon days of late ‘90s new school, Seven Dollar Jacket sounded all the better on the ballsy Brick Works PA, and there were more than a few fans of the band in attendance; those in front sang along as the band closed out their short set.
Next upon the stage were The Americas, whose musical duality, both in terms of their lineup — which consists of vocalist / guitarist Travis Wuerthner and drummer Casey Deitz — and their music — which alternates between jangle-y melodicism and chaotic crunch — is never short of charming. There was a mysterious mosh-pit, but otherwise, the majority of the crowd took in The Americas with nodding heads and grinning visages.
The next act, Emery, however, was somewhat less convincing. Their tepid and uninspiring sound was rendered even less enjoyable by a poor mix. And as the singer did his routine emo-rock frontman moves, and the band burned through their textbook riffs, it became evident why in fact, the evening’s headliners would be such an enjoyable experience both musically and visually.
Kicking off with “The Starting Line,” the first song on both their earlier Forever EP, and the newly released Celebrate Mistakes, NumberOneGun as a whole exuded an honesty that is lacking among the majority of their peers. Countering distorted, densely chorded choruses with austere and melodic verses, the dual guitars of Ben Tietz and frontman Jeff Schneeweis weaved together in perfect harmony. Sticking almost exclusively to material from Mistakes, the band’s grueling tour schedule seemed to pay dividends in the form of both impeccable technical performance and coolness under pressure: glitches in the sound system and broken strings did little to slow them down. The band exited the stage for Schneeweis’s solo acoustic version of “These Things,” which showcased not only the vocal prowess, but the old fashioned pop sensibilities of Schneeweis’s songcraft. Although often shrouded in crunch and sped up accordingly, at heart the songs of NumberOneGun are timeless examples of music as it should be, and that, above all else, is what separates them from the flailing hordes of emo bandwagon jumpers.

– Daniel Taylor
– Photos by Elias Perez

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