For local bands, it’s challenging enough to get people to come out to shows without Mother Nature deciding to intervene. With the hellish cold snap looming, the weekend left many more inclined to swarm the grocery store and stock up on spare batteries, or simply spend some quality time with their Netflix queue, than amble over and see who’s playing their local watering hole. That being said, some bills are worth braving the elements for, especially when the bands involved promise an upbeat, much-needed break from winter dreariness, as was the case at Cactus Club Saturday night.
First up was Dogs in Ecstasy, whose unassuming presence belies the fact that they’re easily one of the best bands the city currently has to offer. Always reliable, the Cactus Club’s impeccable sound only improved the trio’s set, which focused on new material, more neo-grunge earworms obliquely dissecting social media, pop culture and the vicissitudes of modern life, but also saved space for rippers from their 2013 debut, Dat Cruel God, such as “Buzz” and “E-Cig.” The musicianship is top notch, but their ability to win over audiences, even on a slow night like Saturday, is just as impressive.
Next up was Fable & the World Flat, a sprawling group who shares members, and a taste for lighthearted, radio-friendly genre-bending, with local favorites Fresh Cut Collective. Live, the separate elements that make up their laidback, rhythmic pop sound—a scratchy funk guitar, squiggling synths and walking reggae bass lines—are well delivered, though they seem to be more at home in the studio, where, as on their new Dark Flow, they strike a dynamic balance between all these diverse styles.
After comedian Joe Brady wrung a few awkward laughs out of the ABC television show “Shark Tank,” it was time for headliners The Fatty Acids. Still riding high off the deserved success of last year’s Boléro, the bulk of the material was familiar, but it’s still a pleasure to watch them frenetically bring a song like “Airsick” to life. They played a bit long, continuing well past 1 a.m., but the portions of the respectable (given the circumstances) crowd that began to trickle out early, warm beds calling, missed some great tunes. Those who stayed home altogether missed even more.
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