CWMA Showcase at Burt's | January 31st

Loom (photo by Jon Paxton)


That facial expression above, the one being rocked by Josh Devenport of Loom, sums up the first hard rock showcase for the City Weekly Music Awards: Rock searing into your flesh with a scream--no whimpers here.

Loom attacks

(photo by Jon Paxton)

Loom kicked off the showcase with a blistering set of frantic rock as they are wont to do. They were at the best I've seen them and, as usual, I was amazed at how well they used their skills in precise attacks. They set the bar at a lofty height for all the other bands to contend with. Their performance as an opener could have been lackluster and not very hard to knock down a peg or two, but such was not the case, unfortunately for the next few bands: Subrosa and Form of Rocket.


Subrosa entrances the crowd

(photo by Jon Paxton)

To say this was an epic bill would be an understatement as Subrosa entered stage-left through the dark curtains and did what they do best: be Subrosa. The ladies, and Zach on drums, were on point, even with Sarah Pendelton sporting the healthy "bun in the oven look" and Kim Pack's double duty (in her previous band Loom's set) stressing her fiddle-playing fingers.


Subrosa Setlist

(photo by Jon Paxton)

Lastly, Form of Rocket enlivened Burt's with a flurry of frenetic-fingered guitaritry that they are appropriately known for. They got the crowd going, emboldening one wanna-be crowd surfer(!) to climb up a third of a post at Burt's only to fall down very quickly as he slipped on a CWMA poster taped to it. It was almost a perfectly surreal moment––if only he had gotten a little higher he may have be carried away by the crowd as Form of Rocket was setting them off.
Form of Rocket

(photo by Jon Paxton)
FOR rhythm section

(photo by Jon Paxton)

I can positively say I have no idea who will triumph in this set of bands. They all did a great job at entertaining in their unique sub-genres of Rock. Several people missed out on the show tonight (you know who you are!) and hopefully they won't make the same terrible mistake at the next metal showcase at Club Vegas on February 7th for Blackhole, God's Revolver and Cave of Roses. See you then.



(Jon Paxton)