Life without a lenscap

This Saturday, my friends and I, through some digging in various areas, discovered [Okay, Kateri did the dirty work] that State Radio, one of my favorite bands, and certainly their favorite band, was playing an unadvertised concert at Duxbury High School's Performing Arts Center. So we went, and not a regret was had. Though we discovered we were essentially crashing a high school fundraiser for an organization founded by the band, Calling All Crows [link, we had a fantastic time. We wandered in as the second opener, a band from the high school, closed their set. There was one opener left, a band called "TAB the Band" [link], so we expected the crowd to stand in the small area functioning as a pit, while bands maneuvered. Instead they all went to their seats. [Picture, if you will, a high school theatre] This meant that we were able to maneuver to the front and stake places at the edge of the stage. Add into this combination that I was allowed to bring my camera in, and you will see just why my Saturday evening was a grand time.



State Radio, for those new to the game, is an alternative/folk rock band from Massachusetts. They have a chill feel, while maintaining a hard drive. Their lyrics are often of a sociopolitical message [Actually, they played the DNC with Rage Against The Machine]. They have a genre bending style, switching easily from slow to fast song, and the entire time carrying the stage with a powerful presence, making it clear they feel every lyric and chord.

MP3's
Right Me Up
Camilo
CIA
Fight No More




The Band is headed by a former member of the now retired Reggae-Rock band Dispatch [link], Chad Urmston. He leads the vocal lines on most songs, and plays the guitar, usually a well-loved 1958 Les Paul Junior, though for 3 songs he uses a modified Castrol can guitar. [Pictures below the cut]



Mike "Mad Dog" Najarian covers the drums. I have deep respect for him not only because he is an amazing drummer, but because he does so well with a basic kit. So many bands today have a drum set with like 10 drums around them, which they use to cheat out every sound. The sign of a truly talented drummer is the ability toget all of those noises out of a basic kit. </soap box> We more than once commented on getting lost watching him move and groove as the evening progressed.



Bringing the beats together, and supplying the driving bass line, or a smooth simple beat is bassist Chuck Fay. He manages all styles, and brings the line which supports everyone else, and when it comes to the front, he lets it shine with all his might, showing talent and skill.

And one more photo, to pull you into the cut:



( Somewhere around 25 images. No more words. I promise. )

I know. I know. I should've gotten rid of more, and there should be less of chad. But I couldn't pick any to dispose of.

( And here are some of the opener )