It's been a long time since I've seen my old friend Bay Dariz play live. It was probably back at the old Globe East, when he lived in Milwaukee playing in the groups G:Fuzz and The Mercy Kiss before moving out to Los Angeles to make music his full-time gig.
Now Dariz is in a new band called Some Hear Explosions, and I knew it would be a rare treat to see him play at Summerfest Saturday afternoon. This show, like all the others over the years, didn't disappoint.
Even though the group is based out of L.A., both Dariz and lead singer Ambre Leigh are from Wisconsin, and you could tell they were happy to be home in front of friends and family.
The band played a tight, 11-song, 45-minute set, and this latest incarnation of Dariz's music still manages to challenge its listeners, but in a good way. Songs like "Give Take" displayed interesting chord progressions that ranged from driving rock to a little glam. At times, Some Hear Explosions sounds like Morphine; other times like Spacehog and Morcheeba. Their final song, "Our Time Now" reminded me of Blondie and The B-52s, if you can believe that.
Aesthetically, Leigh bounces around the stage like a modern day Pat Benatar, while Dariz and the rest of the band stoically go about their business.
In all of Dariz's bands, the quality of the musicianship has always shined through, and Some Hear Explosions is no exception. They did a nice job covering Portishead's "Mysterons," and displayed some interesting guitar tuning on the slow and powerful "Too Forgiving."
My favorite two songs, however, were "Shotgun," with its staccato guitar blasts, and the second to last number, 'Hell A.'"
Speaking of "Hell A," Los Angeles is the land of a million up-and-coming bands hoping for their big break, but it's nice honor to be welcomed home with a Summerfest gig. I know the group spent a lot of money to be here, and Leigh looked a little nervous on stage, chatting maybe a bit too much with the audience.
But who can blame her? Some Hear Explosions is an interesting band with a sophisticated and layered sound for only four members. Part of the emerging artists series this year, I hope the right people take notice of the group. They're good enough to go places.
Andy is the president, publisher and founder of OnMilwaukee. He returned to Milwaukee in 1996 after living on the East Coast for nine years, where he wrote for The Dallas Morning News Washington Bureau and worked in the White House Office of Communications. He was also Associate Editor of The GW Hatchet, his college newspaper at The George Washington University.
Before launching OnMilwaukee.com in 1998 at age 23, he worked in public relations for two Milwaukee firms, most of the time daydreaming about starting his own publication.
Hobbies include running when he finds the time, fixing the rust on his '75 MGB, mowing the lawn at his cottage in the Northwoods, and making an annual pilgrimage to Phoenix for Brewers Spring Training.
