Surfer Blood @ Market Hotel

Market Hotel was the place to be on Saturday night. I am typically one of the first to arrive to shows but for some reason, I was grossly overdue for the Surfer Blood show in Brooklyn. But after some careful maneuvering and congenial demeanor, I was able to proclaim a spot up front. And talk about packed; it has been some time that I've seen a venue as packed and energized as this place was. And why not? The bill was stacked with talent and the walls seemed to bursting with anticipation for a very hyped show that didn't disappoint.

My last trip to Market Hotel was somewhat bittersweet; I thought Bishop Allen and the Yummy Fur performed to expectations but the experience didn't feel complete. I'm not the biggest fan of all-ages concerts, but in all honesty, the show on Saturday would not have been as great had it been at any other venue. Market Hotel provided the perfect place for fans, of every age, to express their love of each band's music. With that said, the night started off with the sounds of the Morning Benders from San Francisco. Their subdued, melodic tunes provided a great intro to the night to come. I, along with many others in attendance, were disappointed in the fact that the up and coming quartet didn't perform "Excuses", a standout track that has really made a name for the band. Nevertheless, they showed great poise and performed a pretty nice set, including a rare encore for an opening band.

Following the Benders were a couple Brooklyn bands who really got the crowd going. Grooms had a noisy, pop sound that had a splash of punk that sparked the crowd into commotion. Frantic at times, the band had a good set and complimented the show as a whole with their riff-driven sound. Afterwards, Brooklyn's Beach Fossils stepped on the accelerator and got the crowd into high-gear. Their surf-rock sound was very energetic and uptempo, only fueling to the crowd's fire. At this point, the crowd really starting to enjoy itself; I sensed it as well, it was hard to shoot video when you're feeling the music. I really like these guys, too bad it has taken me a while to appreciate their music.

Not to be outdone, Turbo Fruits from Nashville, Tennessee, not only turned it up a notch, they cranked it up to eleven and then some. Their brand of rock was very riff-heavy but was melodic enough to keep you moving. It was unmistakable they were influenced by southern rock, covering Creedance Clearwater Revival's "Bad Moon Rising" and providing bluesy riffs to dance to. Other than some technical difficulties, they were spot on and made for a great last opener for the headlining Surfer Blood. Without question, Surfer Blood could have played to a capacity venue without their talented openers but I'm sure glad they didn't. Surfer Blood finally took the stage to rousing cheers as they jumped into "Floating Vibes", the opening track to their debut album Astrocoast. Their set was very formulated except for their impromptu cover of Weezer's "Sweater Song" chorus; amazing how loud the crowd sang. But all good things must come to an end and they ended their set in style with a furious rendition of their ever-popular single "Swim"; at one point, a fan even dove from the three-tiered PA system and the band ransacked their equipment before exiting the stage. An impressive show to say the least, thank you Todd P. Videos of the show are below: