James Dewees / Biology / Gracer

First off, in case anyone doesn't know, Biology is the side project of From Autumn to Ashes drummer Francis Mark. In Biology he sings and plays guitar. This show comes one day after their tour with FATA ended, and also featured local bands Gracer, Envy on the Coast, and the Gun Stays as well as a surprise set from Reggie and the Full Effect main-man James DeWees.

The Gun Stays were the first band to perform. I've heard a good deal about this band but haven't had a chance to check them out; it's a very rare thing that a local band could grab your attention, but they did just that. Their sound isn't very easily described; they were definitely a hardcore band, but their songs were super catchy, and they all had great stage presence. I didn't catch many song titles, but I picked up a CD at the end of their set; you should definitely check this band out.

Next up was Envy on the Coast; after almost a half-hour of setup time (due to technical problems) they came on and had probably the biggest draw of the night. Like the Gun Stays, describing their sound isn't easy, but to categorize it i would say indie rock. They were excellent musicians and their songs were very well-written with great parts, and their singer had a great voice.

Gracer was next; the band recently signed a deal with Revelation Records and features ex-members of On the Might of Princes and Lux Courageous. Their sound can't really be described; it almost, to me, had an As Tall As Lions feel to it. They're all really tight musicians and their drummer Chris Enriquez is an incredible drummer. Their set made me eagerly anticipate their recordings.

By the time Biology came on, the place had nearly cleared out, but it didn't seem to phase them at all. Playing songs off their debut full-length, Making Moves on Vagrant Records, they played a flawless half-hour set. Fran also proved that he's an amazing front-man/musician, also stating during their set that he misses being part of the Long Island scene, which as of late has been suffering. The band also features FATA bassist Josh Newton and Cornbread Compton of Engine Down on drums. The best part about Biology is that it is nothing close to being hardcore; it's completely different, reminding me more of bands like Interpol and Sonic Youth rather than any hardcore bands. Unfortunately they have no shows booked as of right now, but I'm sure within the near future there will be some more posted; you should do whatever you can to check them out.

Closing the show was a surprise performance by James DeWees, formerly of the Get Up Kids and eternally of Reggie and the Full Effect. This was different than anything you would ever expect; it was his Christmas show, which involved him playing in a tear-away Santa suit and throwing candy canes at everyone. At one point in the show, he was wearing someone's glasses and all along being insane; as far as his set goes, he played all of the obscure techno songs from the Reggie records. All in all, probably the most entertaining set of the night.