Something recently occurred to me: I've never written about music before. I would’ve, could’ve, should’ve written about Taylor Swift's rerelease of “Red.” When this realization dawned on me, I asked why. Maybe it’s because I have a strange taste in music (which has resulted in less-than-great conversations about my Spotify playlists). But when I heard about WVFI’s free concert, I figured it was time for me to tackle a music review. But as I soaked up some sweet tunes on Saturday night, this assignment became more for me than just an article.
When the opener — Flo State — took the stage, the energy in the room was magnetic. The smooth vocals and the upbeat instruments caused some fans to crowd in front of the stage. Listening to their entire set was like being transported into another world, one where you hear things in a heightened sense. Their opening set the stage for Motel Breakfast to take the stage. Flo State on the stage was electric and their music is reminiscent of Surf Punk and FIDLAR. The band Surf Punk is best known for being hilarious and writing amusing songs. One of Surf Punk’s songs is even titled “Can’t Get a Tan.” The energy of the crowd during their set further reflected the ties to Surf Punk. FIDLAR is in the punk genre of music. Flo State made their first Instagram post in 2021, and their debut single “Waiting” was released in October 2021. After less than a day on the platform, “Waiting” had 349 streams.
Motel Breakfast’s set proved to be a surprise. At first, hearing their sound seemed like country music and, given the previous genre it was initially surprising. Then, their sound changed to an upbeat tune. Many audience members jumped out of their seats to dance to the more upbeat music.
Watching Motel Breakfast, there were several things that caught my attention. First, I think the range of instruments they used furthered their set. Once again, the vocals grabbed my attention, especially considering the variety of singers the band used throughout. There was a balance between focus on the vocals and the instrumentals. Some instruments had solos which was an excellent way to highlight their range. Motel Breakfast also explained several stories behind the songs. One of them was inspired by a band member, Jim, and his encounter with his ex-girlfriend of two years. This highlighted the storytelling component that the band used in writing their music.
In addition to some of their discography from recent years, they also debuted a new song and encouraged the audience to help them come up with a name. The song hadn’t been recorded by the band yet. A song titled “See you soon, Meet you there” had softer tones. Motel Breakfast showcased a good range of their musical discography. This made the show enjoyable because it showed how the band was willing to try out different sounds. Motel Breakfast started in 2017. Interestingly enough, Motel Breakfast on their Twitter account referenced Paramore.
Both of the bands represented the power of music. When those musicians took the stage, it was like living in another world, one where you follow to beat, and you notice things you didn’t before. At the end of the night, I found myself drawn to not only their lyricism and their words. Instead, their sound and the intentionality behind what they were doing made this show so enjoyable to listen to.
