White Arrows - Chappo -- DC9 - Feb 6 2015

Chappo - The atmosphere is quite exciting even for this early show at the DC9. And Chappo hits the ground running with an interesting blend of old school synthesizer sounds and twisted pop vocals. There is some heavy guitar at times, steady drumming with bass only coming from keyboards, so the poptones are more on the high end. There were a couple flat songs in the middle, but most had enough sparkle and quirkiness to keep the energy levels high. The crowd really dug the band and was engaged throughout the 48 minute set. Chappo have not been around too long and should be poised to have a successful career if this show is any indication.

White Arrows - This LA band can be broadly placed in the burgeoning popsike scene, which normally is golden ticket to my heart. But this time, I found the band a little too brittle in cooler post-punk pop style. The psyche is there, even if it is quite subtle for the most part. There is even a touch of soul in the vocals, which is nice when the warmth comes out. There are dance oriented songs and they remind me of the Midge Ure Ultravox, which was the version the masses like, while people like me strongly preferred the John Foxx Ultravox. I did not get to stay the whole set (due to illness, which also kept me from heading to the Drew Gibson Iota show). I wish I could have caught more because I have a feeling this is one of those bands which will get better over time and multiple listens.

Quote of the Night: From Chappo singer... "Nice, nice. You look good, smell good, too."