Preview: Cassius At Best, What To Say At A Funeral, Mooney Tyson / April 24 / The Smiling Skull
By Sammi Nelson, Blogs Editor
Smiling Skull / Friday, April 24, 2015
For anyone looking for a good time to celebrate the last Friday before finals week, the Smiling Skull Saloon will be hosting such an event. Three bands will grace the Skull’s cozy stage to provide an interesting mixture of indie rock, punk, pop and hardcore for showgoers and bar attendees.
Athens’ own Mooney Tyson will headline the show, proceeded by two nearby Mid-Ohio Valley bands: What To Say At A Funeral from Parkersburg, W. Va. and Cassius At Best of Marietta, Ohio.
Mooney Tyson describes itself as having an indie punk sound while Cassius At Best falls under the category of indie pop and rock. What To Say At A Funeral will heavily contrast Friday’s primarily indie vibes with its progressive punk and hardcore sound.
On its Facebook page, What To Say At A Funeral informs curious listeners that its hardcore and thrash sound contains high energy and that the group loves people. The band is still rather fresh and just released a demo on Bandcamp early this January.
Part of its biography enthusiastically reads, “We live to please and we come to party!” When it comes to fun and music, it seems like this band is dedicated to delivering these aspects to its fans.
Friday’s show will be the first live show for Cassius at Best, which formed just a few months ago in early 2015. Josh Adams, the guitarist and vocalist for the group, said that he feels a mixture of excitement and nervousness for the show.
“It’s been over a year since I’ve played a show at all, so I’m excited to get back into the show routine and see new places,” said Adams. “I’ve never gigged in Athens either, so this will be a first.”
Before forming Cassius at Best, all three members of the group--including Adams, Austin Locke on bass and Derrick Taylor on drums--played together in a metalcore band called I Come Alive.
Adams described Cassius at Best’s indie sound as similar to bands such as Manchester Orchestra or Say Anything. He also noted that it’s “a huge break” from the trio’s previous metalcore band.
“I’m trying to write very catchy songs that an audience could easily sing along to and enjoy,” said Adams. “I think crowd participation is really important with live music so I’m hoping that we can get people involved and have a kind of a community based around our performances.”
Cassius at Best and What To Say At A Funeral will also be playing a show together later this May in Marietta at The Foam Garage. As for this Friday’s show at The Skull, doors open at 9 p.m. and music begins at 10 p.m. A $3 cover charge is required.
