Show Review: Nothing On The Moon with Broken Girls from Affluent Backgrounds, New Chums and One-Thirteen

The Bands (in order of performance):

• One-Thirteen - A Phoenix-based alt rock band formed in 2016. Founding members John and Kammie Caulfield and Brandon McCarthy had previously played together on other projects and formed One-Thirteen with the addition of Colton Harrison. Their sound can be described best as pop punk similar to Jimmy Eat World.
• New Chums - New Chums is a four piece indie rock back based in Phoenix. The band released their latest EP "See It For Myself" on October 6, 2017. Their songs are energetic, with heavy guitars and catchy hooks, creating a true power pop sound.
• Broken Girls from Affluent Homes - A progressive rock band based out of Phoenix. The band uses a mixture of synth, ambient sounds, and heavy guitars to create a unique sound of their own. Bands they can be compared to include Dredg, Circa Survive and The Dear Hunter.
• Nothing On The Moon - An indie, groove-rock band based out of Mesa, AZ.  Starting out as a three-piece band, they eventually added a saxophonist to round out their sound. Similar bands include Portugal. The Man and The Lords.

The Venue

The show was held at The Rebel Lounge in Central Phoenix.  The venue was founded in 1979 and originally called The Mason Jar.  Over the years it has hosted some of rock's most legendary artists as they were making their way through the ranks of rock, including, Nirvana, Guns N' Roses, Tool and Rage Against the Machine.

The Show

One-Thirteen

One-Thirteen was the first band on stage. They played a variety of their original material including a song they released as a single called "I Won't Long for More." While their songs were catchy, I felt their live set needed the screws tightened up a bit. They were a bit off beat from each other, with the drummer playing a little faster than the rest of the band.  They did try to talk to the crowd, which can be fun, but it became more of a distraction as the conversations lasted a little longer than they probably should have. I got the impression they were a bit nervous, and I think as this band gains a little more practice and live show experience they will put on a more solid performance.
You can see a video clip of their performance here: https://www.facebook.com/onethirteenaz/videos/1875284232528541/

New Chums

New Chums was up next and they clearly have experience playing in front of live crowds. Their set is full of energy and it's clear the band is really enjoying themselves on stage.  They played several songs from their EP, See It for Myself, including "Disposable Music," and "Blossom,"as well as some others. Their sound feels like it encompasses what power pop is really made of, with Seth's unique vocals seamlessly mixing with hooky guitar riffs.  This is a band to watch as I think they'll only get better with time.
Check them out here: https://www.facebook.com/newchumsband/?ref=br_rs

Broken Girls from Affluent Backgrounds

The third band to play for the night was Broken Girls from Affluent Backgrounds.  For me, these guys stole the show. It's clear they are a very technical band, as many of their songs have complex rhythms and song structures. They opened their set with the song "Bridges," a song with a more upbeat melody juxtaposed against emotional, thought-provoking lyrics. The band's live show takes you on a journey through softer, more passive moments to epic walls of ambient sounds and shoegazing. Their final song was "Blindspot," a dreamy composition of synth and guitars, from their recently released EP, Fiction Will See Us Through. By the time their set ended they had earned themselves a new fan. 
Check them out here: http://www.brokengirlsfromaffluentbackgrounds.com/

Nothing On The Moon

Nothing On The Moon was the headliner that night. They began their set with a recording of an interview the band had done, which I think in another situation would have made more sense, but it fell a bit flat with the crowd that night. The band played songs from their recently released EP, About You, including the title track, which is a catchy, light-hearted pop song I could see kids playing during summer car rides. Nothing On The Moon's live show is set apart by their saxophonist, who adds a more unique dynamic to their live performance.  I get the impression the band is still in their younger years and sorting out their sound and I'll be interested to see where the journey takes them.

Overall, this was a great local show and time well spent seeing musicians do what they enjoy most. I'm working on setting up some interview with New Chums and Broken Girls from Affluent Backgrounds so stay tuned for those.

Check them out here: https://www.facebook.com/nothingonthemoon/