300 Entertainment Artist – Highly Suspect (Ryan Meyer, Rich Meyer & Johnny Stevens)
Fans lined up in droves outside the doors of Kansas City’s recordBar this past week in anticipation of taking in another surreal performance by one of their most beloved bands, Massachusetts’ own Highly Suspect.
Still touring on their second studio release, 2016’s, The Boy Who Died Wolf, Rich Meyer (bass), Ryan Meyer (drums) and Johnny Stevens (guitar/lead vocals) delivered a brilliant 18-song set to the “City of Fountains” crazies.
The night’s performance leaned heavily on the band’s sophomore LP with Highly Suspect even choosing to begin the show with the record’s mostly instrumental “F.W.Y.T.”
This may have seemed like a curious choice to some of those in attendance, however, the song actually served to ignite a rising tension while providing a natural segue into the band’s next selection, “Send Me an Angel.”
Highly Suspect’s take on the track, a cover of Real Life’s 1983 original, is if nothing else, unique. The band has slowed the tempo of the song down considerably, using the dropped pacing to create a dense tautness that adds a dark layer of rigidity to the 80’s synth-pop classic. Talk about setting a mood.
This approach made sense, especially in terms of the band’s live performance, as The Boy Who Died Wolf is an emotional roller coaster of a record in and of itself.
From self reflective tracks such as “Look Alive, Stay Alive” and “Little One,” to soul barring songs like “Chicago” and “Wolf,” Highly Suspect’s new material takes the listener on an impassioned musical journey.
This is a band that clearly has lofty aspirations and rightfully so. Not many rock outfits can lay claim to having their first two records receive Grammy nominations.
Highly Suspect didn’t win the for Best Rock Album for 2015’s Mister Asylum nor the award for Best Rock Song, “Lydia” at the 2016 Grammy’s.
Consequently, they have may have been a bit disappointed when they were over looked yet again this year. Highly Suspect was nominated in the Best Rock Song category for a second time for one of The Boy Who Died Wolf ‘s noteworthy singles, “My Name Is Human.”
As it pertains to their next record, these oversights are likely to serve as motivation for the band versus deterring the hard-rocking trio from Cape Cod from continuing to push their own sonic boundaries.
Highly Suspect’s performance in Kansas City helped cement the notion that the now Brooklyn based band is on a mission to prove any and all detractors wrong. The fact that their fervid live music shows rise to a level many of their contemporaries can only hope to emulate, that’s just the rock and roll gravy.
The night of music by Highly Suspect featured a few surprises as well as some memorable moments. One of those included Rich Meyer taking over vocal duties from Stevens to sing one of the band’s older songs, “Round and Round.”
Another highpoint of the band’s performance was tied to drummer Ryan Meyer showcasing his prodigious talent on drums via a well timed solo nicely tucked in between two of Highly Suspect’s more resplendent tracks, “Claudeland” and “Little One.”
Not to be outdone Stevens wowed with his emotive vocals throughout the entirety of the evening. His level of performance, guttural singing and the almost ethereal connections the front man seamlessly made with the crowd helped to enhance the band’s performance that much further.
By the time Highly Suspect closed out their performance with the three song salvo of “My Name is Human,” “Look Alive, Stay Alive,” and “Wolf” the band, and probably every fan in attendance at the recordBar, were likely as emotionally drained as they were physically exhausted.
Isn’t that the definition of getting your money’s worth?
Opening up the night’s musical festivities were fellow Massachusetts natives and indie-pop darlings And The Kids.
The band comprised of Hannah Mohan (guitar/vocals), Rebecca Lasaponaro (drums), Megan Miller (synthesizers/percussion) and Taliana Katz (bass) have self described their sound as “accessible unconscious existential indie glitter popsicle crisis music.”
Based on And The Kids opening set the band may have actually hit the nail on the proverbial head with their somewhat off-beat self characterization.
And The Kids weave in and out of divergent emotional musical planes with Mohan effortlessly intertwining themes of love loss, turbulence and existential musings in provocative and even accessible ways.
Although on the surface And The Kids may not come to mind as a natural choice to open up for a straight ahead rock band like Highly Suspect, it sure seems as though their inclusion on the tour was well thought out and even premeditated.
Sonically And The Kids may actually have more in common with bands such as west coast indie stalwarts Sleater-Kinney. However, the quartet’s thought provoking material and calculated show pacing actually blended in nicely, even helping to support the ardent mood Highly Suspect made a deliberate attempt at establishing themselves.
Sounds like the kind of perfect match even E-Harmony couldn’t bring together with their 20,000 question questionnaire.
Should you be in the market for tour dates, news, merchandise and all things Highly Suspect and And The Kids related, simply navigate the links below.
Connect with Highly Suspect (click icons):
Connect with And The Kids (click icons):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5-gja10qkw
Review by Ace Sims
Photos by Amber Miller
