Photo taken by Hannah Carpenter
The Stateside Menace are comprised of three talented, driven musicians: lead singer and rhythm guitarist Brandon de la Cruz, bassist Caleb Mundy, and lead guitarist Ben Owens. After years of painstaking recording and mixing from various locations, their debut album Desperate Times saw its physical release at The Rutledge this past Wednesday. Although the album has been available for streaming directly from their website for a few months now, the evening was greeted with anticipation as fans and newcomers alike evaded heavy construction to take part in a bona fide rock ‘n’ roll show.
Culminating the true essence of rock music, the band’s performance was loud, fun, and never exuded a dull moment. The show started full throttle, opening their set with “Original Rock and Roll,” a sidesplitting rock anthem from their new album. Despite a few technical difficulties with instrument cables, the energy never dissipated. The crowd cheered as they tore through songs like “Sugarshaker” (a personal favorite), and “Love Is The Best Lie,” all completed with elaborately decorated vests, rampant waving of the British Flag, and a hilarious on-stage de-pantsing. Drummer for the evening Chris Kimmerer kept the momentum all night, never missing a beat and pounding the living hell out of his skins. Chris is an accomplished producer around Nashville, having lended his talents to Brandon Frazier and The Majors, who split the bill with The Stateside Menace and put on a stadium worthy performance.
The night had a vibe akin to being in the company of a group of great friends, and that’s because the members of The Stateside Menace are all very down to earth people. Where a lot of bands fall short during a live concert, the guys all soar with flying colors. Even down to the vocal harmonies, their sound is just as refined live as it is on record. They make sure everyone is enjoying themselves and never sell themselves short, something that shouldn’t be overlooked in music. You can catch them tonight at 8 off 8th at Mercy Lounge, and buy their album here.
