Thomas Function & G-Side at Vertical House Records 26.07.
On June 29th (yeah, I’m way behind…) we had Thomas Function and G-Side perform in our store! It was a bad-ass show to help break in the new space! We had a lot of people come out, especially on a Tuesday night – so you know the scene here isn’t totally dead.
Before sharing photos, I’d actually love to pass along an article that a guy named Justin wrote for Valley Planet that pretty much summed the show up perfectly! We can’t thank him enough for writing such an awesome review!
“The moment I drove through the gates at Lowe Mill it was clear that I was about to experience something very unique to Huntsville. From the colored lights shining on the water tower to the groups of people hanging out before the show, anticipation was in the air. I was there to see G-side & Thomas Function both of which have been praised as local greats, and both playing very different styles of music. My destination was Vertical House Records, nestled into the back corner of the second floor in the Flying Monkey Arts Center; my goal was to infiltrate Huntsville’s music scene. Since moving to the area in late January I’ve been clumsily trying to navigate the local venues in search of great music. On any given night there are at least ten different musicians playing at ten different venues, and that doesn’t include the multitude of open mic nights. With a lot of time and online research it’s sometimes possible to narrow down the options but even then some bands are scheduled to play a few different venues through the month and some venues are certainly better than others. Instead of sitting back I’ve decided to be part of the solution; I’m going to scope out as many bands, open mic’s, and venues as I can each month and present you with a distilled list of what is worthwhile.
The G-Side & Thomas Function show was my first visit to the Flying Monkey Arts Center, and Vertical House Records specifically, both of which only got me more excited about my musical journey. There was a small cover charge of five dollars, but parking was free and ample. Keep two things in mind when going to this venue: 1. there are few chairs, 2. bring your own beer (if 21 or over that is). Vertical House has a great vibe; ambient string lighting, burlap walls covered with records and the band plays under a mirror ball surrounded by bookshelves. There was no stage to separate band from audience and bubbles floated through the air, further blurring the line between the two. As I settled into the crowd I realized that this event was not only unique to Huntsville, but also to the music industry. It’s a rare occurrence when two distinctly different musical genres play back to back and even more rare when the same audience stays for both shows.
First up for the night was Thomas Function, a local trio that have been tagged as everything from punk to pop to indie rock, and they’ve earned all three. It was easy to find tracks online to get an idea of what I was getting myself in to, and like all good bands, their live show surpassed the recordings (Although I did miss the infectious clapping, and the organ in some songs). The bassist and drummer both sang backup for the lead singer/guitarist which helped make them a minimalist band without a minimalist sound. They played a very concise set with barely a break between songs keeping the intensity running high. If you haven’t already checked them out and are in the mood for a high energy show I highly recommend Thomas Function.
Next up was G-Side, a local hip hop duo that not only maintained the momentum, but built upon it. It was also easy to hear a few of their tracks before going, and again I was pleasantly surprised with the live show. They had two backup vocalists singing in a more R&B style that contrasted well and added depth to the show. With no effects, it was great to hear the raw vocals and see the impact they had on the audience. Their lyrics leaned towards the positive and were delivered with force. Even if hip hop isn’t your favorite genre of music, these guys will keep you entertained and make you part of the show.
Overall the show was a great success. Any time you see Vertical House, G-Side or Thomas Function on the Valley Planet Music Calendar, it will be worth checking out.”
Thomas Function
G-side
