Show Preview: Riley, Ghost Stories, Method Air, Hundos
The Smiling Skull
Thursday, March 13, 2014
By Zack Baker, Editorial Director
There’s a reunion of sorts going down at The Smiling Skull this Thursday, and it should be a good time for all those involved. The Dayton math-rockers ofRiley are stopping through Athens with the Columbus experimental jammers ofHundos during a short Ohio stint over St. Patrick’s Day weekend. Athens favoritesGhost Stories and Method Airare joining the touring bands for what’s sure to be a variety-filled night of music.
The bands are no strangers to each other, however. Thursday night will be Ghost Stories’ drummer Harold Bon’s third time playing with Riley, each time with a different band. “The first time I played with them was in City of Wolves, my old band, that was like a bunch of friends from my home town. Then last semester we played with them at the Skull--that ACRN show--and that was with Busy Busy. Eric [Bluebaum, Riley’s guitarist/vocalist] called me up and said he really wanted to play with Ghost Stories and then this got set up,” said Bon. With Riley looking to book a short tour, Bon quickly pulled the show together.
“Everytime we come through Athens it’s a good time,” said Bluebaum. “We’ve played house shows, the Skull, the Union. The crowd’s always super receptive.” The band is looking forward to coming back through Athens and hopes Thursday’s show is as good as all the previous ones.
Sam Stansfield is going to have a long night ahead of him on Thursday, handling guitar and vocals in Method Air as well as supporting Ghost Stories on second guitar. He recently went into the studio with Ghost Stories to record their half of a split with Cincinnati’s Armslength, and Stansfield has meshed well with the group. “[Sam] recorded with us and just really adds to our sound. I’m really happy about it,” said Bon.
But that’s not to forget Stansfield’s main project, Method Air. Stansfield aims to experiment as much as he can during live sets, but it’s not always an easy task. “As a two-piece band, the low end is my responsibility. I always have to carry the bass notes at a live show. But when we get in the zone, we can still get creative. Every now and then I might hit a bad note, but sometimes that only makes it sound better,” said Stansfield. The group is hard at work on new material and hopes to have a new release to tour with ready before summer.
Columbus experimentalists Hundos round out the lineup, and will be performing material from their new album. We loved their latest work,Epilimnion, and seeing how the songs translate live will certainly be something to see.
The music all kicks off at 9:30 p.m. and it’s only $3 to get your foot in the door and your ears bathed in amazing tunes.
[Editor’s Note: Bon wanted to be sure that Armslength, Choir Vandals, Triathalon and Ross Lockhart (Performing as Xurm) all received shout outs.]
