With several clubs in the Deep Ellum district of downtown Dallas, TX, there are usually several shows to choose from on any given night. Wednesday is one of the quieter nights, so the fact that there wasn’t very much of a crowd at Wits End wasn’t all that surprising. It was a pity, though, because they all missed one hell of a show as Blameshift and Super bob rolled into town and pulled in local boys The Circle and Waking Alice along for the ride.
Wits End is a small club but there’s plenty to look at. All sorts of odds and ends on the walls, what appears to be a truck coming through one wall, and a bar stocked with any drink you could want, it has a cozy feel – and a pretty nice sound system. What it doesn’t have is much in the way of stage lighting and it made for some creative picture taking. But the fact that the stage was mostly in the dark and the crowds were small didn’t stop the bands from having a great time and putting on a fantastic show.
First up was Dallas band The Circle. How I’ve managed to miss these guys while I’ve been out and about at shows I’m not sure, but I’m very glad I’ve found them now. The guys definitely have fun on stage and give it 110%. Their debut single “Sleep On It” has gotten a lot of press and radio play and is shooting them up through the ranks of Dallas/Ft. Worth’s top local bands. You can find their EP, Who I Am, on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify and CD Baby and I highly recommend you get it. These guys sound like veterans and you will not be disappointed.
Waking Alice, the second band of the night, just kept proving that Dallas has a killer local music scene. With heavy riffs and melodic vocals give Waking Alice a nice mix of an alternative rock and heavy metal feel. Again the band was pretty much in shadows and perhaps because of the darkness and small size of the stage didn’t move around much, but they were spot on and put on a great show. Their second EP is available on iTunes and they are definitely one to check out.
What can I say about our third band of the night? I wasn’t entirely sure what to think when Super bob first took the stage. Their music has a Korn, Papa Roach sort of feel to it. With lots of dreadlocks, a fur coat, and far more energy than any one person has a right to have, Super bob quickly won me over. Their absolutely amazing cover of LMFAO’s “Sexy and I Know It” only sealed the deal and had the crowd bouncing right along with them. They even got a bit of a sing a long going with another cover, this time by Presidents of the United States and their song “F*ck California”. I am anxiously looking forward to seeing these guys again, hopefully at a venue with better lighting because they put on one hell of a stage show.
Headliner of the night was Long Island band Blameshift. Having put out their first EP “The Black Rose” – fully funded by loyal fans – Blameshift hit the road and toured their hearts out. Currently promoting their new album “Secrets” (which can be pre-ordered here) they came into Dallas for the first time. Welcomed by a small but energetic crowd, Blameshift set up their stage (extra lights!) and got right down to doing what they do best. Vocalist Jenny Mann has a sweet voice and after a night of all male vocalists it was a nice change. And it’s always nice to see a tiny woman able to rock a venue as good if not better than the guys. Blameshift definitely knows what their doing and are going places fast.
The venue desperately needs lights, and Wednesdays are always a tough night for a concert – but the music was killer and I look forward to seeing these bands again.
Blameshift
Super bob
Waking Alice
The Circle
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