Wednesday Night Recap (Pt.2): Sparta, Straylight Run at Soma 5/30/07

Between bands I chatted a little with Lyn and her friends and found out that they were huge Straylight Run fans and they were sharing gossip about the band's past. I haven't been into Warped Tour type bands since I was 15, so I just neither liked nor disliked Taking Back Sunday, they were just completely off my radar. Straylight Run is the band formed when two original members bailed the band to start an entirely new project, and I have to say, I was really impressed with the results. It could've slipped into sounding like a million other poppy bands singing anthemic songs about love and life mostly sucking, but I loved the way the heavy strum of an acoustic guitar kept it grounded and I liked the mixing up between instruments and vocals from the various members of the band. The chick vocals were good for the couple songs that she sang, too, though I'll have to disagree with whomever I overheard say she was a cross between Ani DiFranco and Gwen Stefani.

With song titles like "Sympathy For The Martyr", though, this stuff would've definitely made it on the mix-tapes I'd make for my therapy cruising when I was fighting with my college boyfriend. Not so into it now, but I could see how a lot of people really could be...Lyn has the setlist here and her take on the show.


Straylight Run, Soma, 5/30/07, photo by Rosey


Straylight Run, Soma, 5/30/07, photo by Rosey


Straylight Run, Soma, 5/30/07, photo by Rosey


Straylight Run, Soma, 5/30/07, photo by Rosey

For me, there are bands who could've been hugely popular, shit, entire genres even that somehow just skipped me in my college years. Could be the almost 3 years I lived with a guy from Spain who only liked Joe Cocker and Dire Straits, could be that all my soccer teammates around the same time had a strange obsession with Oasis, but there's just a ton of bands I never knew, like At The Drive In. I have of late become interested in the Mars Volta but even with all the attention they got on FM 94/9 for their anniversary show, I never paid attention. Last night, I planned on taking a couple pictures and leaving the show so I could make it to the Beauty Bar or the Ken Club, but fromthe first note, I was so happy I was there and really, really liked their set. Tom from Dynamite Walls told me that Sparta is the favorite band of several of the guys in Dynamite Walls and I could definitely see that connection and think that's not a bad choice of a band to look up to.


Sparta Setlist, Soma, 5/30/07


Sparta, Soma, 5/30/07



Sparta, Soma, 5/30/07



Sparta, Soma, 5/30/07



Sparta, Soma, 5/30/07



Sparta, Soma, 5/30/07



Sparta, Soma, 5/30/07

I ended up staying for the entire set, and despite my ankles locking in place at the incline, I was so glad I went. For one, the bands were good. Two, the crowd was enthusuiastic but also extremely polite, leaving good gaps between each other so people could get by and so you could see the stage well from any spot in the room. And last, the sound was great in the room. I was right upfront and could hear all parts of the music clearly. Of course, I had my earplugs, but that's how it's supposed to be. I was home by 11:30 and decided to nix my post-Soma plans since I have a show every night from tonight until at least Tuesday. Who knew that a sober night with the kids would turn out to be so enjoyable?