The Evening Rig @ 7th St. Entry

(photo courtesy of Alexa Jones)

The Evening Rig had the capacity crowd won over long before they even played a note at the Entry on Friday night. Not only was the evening a celebration of the band’s excellent second album Is Doin’ Stuff, but concertgoers were offered some sweet swag as well: beer koozies emblazoned with the bands logo and “I’m Drinkin’ Stuff” on the backside, and matchbooks slickly labeled with, naturally, “I’m Smokin’ Stuff.” And, with the band not taking the stage until well after midnight, they gave the spirited crowd plenty of time to do both, so that by the time the band started playing, most of the audience were primed for a good time. And that’s exactly what the Evening Rig gave us, a rollicking set that showed why they are one of the most promising local acts around.

(photo courtesy of Alexa Jones)

Kicking things off with the first two tracks from the new record, “The Steve McQueens” and “Half Asleep,” was definitely an exuberant way to start the show, showcasing not only how strong the new material is, but how potent a live band they are as well. It’s truly a refreshing occasion when you see a band that has completely poured their hearts into a record, and are so unabashedly proud of the results that it’s infectious. The crowd was certainly swept up in that enthusiasm and that (as well as the copious amounts of alcohol being consumed both in the crowd and on stage) helped keep the energy level high throughout the band’s entire set.

The Evening Rig kept things rolling along nicely with a feisty version of “How Does She Do It” that certainly made clear the Replacements influence that permeates much of their music, and it was quite fitting to see them play it in a room that Paul and the gang helped make famous. The band slowed things up a bit with the next couple of numbers, “Bartender” and “A Girl Important,” and while these are fine songs by their own right, they just didn’t seem to resonate as strongly with the raucous Friday night crowd as some of the bands more energetic material. But they picked things right back up again with a stirring version of “Playing House,” the lead track from the band’s debut record Never Been’er, that again roused the crowd and allowed the band to have the first of many group toasts with the audience. It was apparent that the band was elated to have the Entry packed with friends, fans and family, which only added to the festive atmosphere of the evening.

“Right Where She Wants Me” proved to be the highlight of the set for me, perfectly encapsulating the vibrancy and passion of the band, as well as showcasing their strong technical abilities and tight live show. The four-piece band was taut and tireless at this point, storming ahead with riffs galore coming from Jason Miller and Josh Lynch, and the propulsive rhythm provided by drummer Becky Hanten and bassist Jake Jarpey. The group also played a new song, wittily titled “Newest Song” on the set list, that went well with the anthemic, rousing direction of the songs on Is Doin’ Stuff, and also shows that the band isn’t resting on their laurels just yet. They closed the set with a couple of no-nonsense rockers, “Hilltop Pines” and “Goddamn, I Could Use A Drink,” that surprisingly (or not) caused me to get back in the line at the bar, which surprisingly (or not) never seemed to get shorter as the set went on, only adding to the celebratory mood in the Entry.

(photo courtesy of Alexa Jones)

After announcing that they had reached the encore part of their set, the band stayed on stage not willing to waste the time with the obligatory back-stage jaunt, instead tearing into a sloppy but spirited cover of Bryan Adams “One Night Love Affair” that actually was pretty solid before it dissolved into a humorous shambles that most assuredly could be blamed on the “Drinkin’ Stuff” aspect of the night. But the band regrouped enough to close the show with a stellar and lively version of “We Got Tonight” that closed the show in an enthusiastic and energetic manner that better suited the significance of the night. The Evening Rig have done many things right in their brief existence, but Is Doin’ Stuff (which I bought on vinyl and had a “Download Stuff” card packaged with the record for the mp3s—major points to the band and everyone at Heart of a Champion for their brilliant marketing campaign) is the sound of a band firing on all cylinders and hopefully bound for bigger and better things. And if Friday nights superb show in the Entry is any indication, it won’t take them all that long to get there.

(photo courtesy of Alexa Jones)

Special mention needs to be made regarding one of the nights three opening acts, the Dynamiters, who set the crowd up nicely (and also had the lines long at the bar) by playing a storming set that featured many explosive blasts of high energy 1-2 minute rock songs, “the perfect length for a song” one of the band members quipped. They were a loud, dynamic, and fun opener who also have hooks galore and energy to burn—their set of feisty, straight forward rock ‘n roll got everyone in the Entry enthused and loose. The Dynamiters and the Evening Rig are definitely bands I will seek out and see live again, much to the detriment of both my liver and my ears.

[Review by Erik Thompson, video by Chris DeLine]

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Also: The Evening Rig “Is Doin’ Stuff” Review