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Big Little Show

The Shades
A Basement, Flint, Michigan
January 7, 2005

So this newer band from the Flint, Michigan area called The Shades wanted to enter the already bustling music scene with a bang. To do so, they held a concert, which I heard about and decided to check out. Little did I know that it was being held in a regular basement! Once I got there, I started to think that maybe this was a huge mistake: I witnessed only a small stage, a cramped basement, and 13 people sitting around. Great- another night wasted. Or so it would seem….

While checking out the whole set-up, I realized that there was a huge crowd filling the basement. In fact, I couldn’t believe the sight as the music began: almost 60 people crammed into a tiny basement. The band started playing their Indie/Rock/Emo songs from their upcoming release [u]From Me to You[/u], expected out next month, and after their first song I was suddenly very excited. Everyone around me was having a blast, the band was nearly flawless in their performance, and the vibes couldn’t have been better. Halfway through the set I don’t think anyone could doubt the strength of The Shades, as they sounded better live then some bands sound in the studio.

Their soft, moving lyrics and well-played rock-out solos put this band in a category few bands fall in: fresh. The Shades sound almost like the Vines mixed with Dashboard Confessional, but with a twist all their own. The band itself was very moving- you could feel the passion invested every song through the energy and feeling invested in the performance.

It was much like a performance you would see at a Dashboard Confessional show, only much smaller. Despite its size and the fact that the show featured a generally new band with unfinished works, everything was astounding. It was everything Indie music should be: untainted, pure fun, and a great performance. I can’t wait until The Shades finish their CD, which I’m sure is going to be phenomenal. You can expect a huge amount of fans at every concert, and CDs going fast from The Shades.

The Shades proved themselves to be a powerful force to be reckoned with, as the Flint music scene couldn’t get enough of this new band. Keep an eye out cause they will be busting out big, soon!

– Tony Kennedy