The Rock & Roll Hotel attracted a large and enthusiastic crowd when Surfer Blood, Team Spirit and Andy Boay came to town on Oct. 3 for their fall tour in the U.S.
Approximately 200 people flocked to the venue by the time Surfer Blood’s set kicked off, a security guard said. Fans of all ages rocked out at the concert, from young high schoolers to middle-aged couples.
Team Spirit opened and delivered alternative music that got several of the early Surfer Blood fans bobbing their heads. Lead singer Ayad Al Adhamy came down into the crowd to sing his parts, but did not open his eyes, making it a bit difficult for some people in the crowd to connect to the band.
Surfer Blood delivered an impressive show after the openers, showing brotherly affection on stage. The name “Surfer Blood” originates from the time when the band was making fun of its drummer, Tyler Schwarz, for owning a Billabong backpack. Schwarz justified it by maintaining that he had surfer in his blood, and thus, a band name was born.
Surfer Blood played a variety of new and old songs, including “Floating Vibes,” the group’s first written song. Songs from their new album “Pythons” were extremely popular with the dancing crowd, at times even starting mini mosh-pits.
J.P. Pitts, the lead singer of Surfer Blood, also stepped off the stage during the band’s set to share his wide vocal range with the crowd. While singing and dancing, Pitts took pictures with his fans.
“Drinking Problem” was supposed to be Surfer Blood’s last song, until the crowd cheered continuously for an encore. Surfer Blood returned to the stage to play “Gravity,” “I’m Not Ready” and “Anchorage.”
After the show, all of the bands were available to meet and greet fans at their merchandise tables. Surfer Blood delivered a great show with their danceable tunes and open attitude towards fans — a set worth seeing.
thescene@theeagleonline.com
