Street Smart Cyclist - Recap

photo by Nick Stutsman

Day 1:

The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die

Take up the entire flier, why don't you? I don't mind. These Connecticut guys were absolutely amazing live, including everything from Josh Is Dead which I haven't gotten around to listening to recorded yet. Despite not being played straight through, everything from Formlessness was flawless. I usually play the album from beginning to end and was hoping they would do so. Regardless, they are a lot of fun and I highly recommend supporting them as they are on tour right now.

Ape Up!

I never really got into this band, but found myself getting into them for some reason. Well, the reason is probably because they are easy to sing along to even when you don't know the words. If not, they are just straight up good fun to see because everyone else is having a good time. Good vibes, man.

Slingshot Dakota

I saw this two-piece around two years ago at Albright College. I didn't know who they were at the time, but I've watched them grow to have a huge following. They sing heartfelt lyrics about traveling and home and friends and stuff. They brought a couple new songs to the stage and Carly brought out an acoustic guitar for the last song which was reminiscent of when that guy from Bridge & Tunnel was in their band for their first album. They are writing a third album where Carly plays guitar and rocks harder than usual, I presume. They had a charity where they auctioned off tickets and raised 75 dollars for a charity that is yet to be decided and Tom gave a bunch of speeches to bring awareness to some issues in the scene. Overall, they are wonderful people and write wonderful music.

Algernon Cadwallader

Everybody knows this ridiculously named band by now. I don't have to tell anybody that's reading this how awesome they are recorded or live. This was actually my first time seeing them live which was kind of my guilty secret for a while. The drummer of Boyfriends(I think? Somebody correct me, I'm wrong) took over for some songs off their demo. They played Look Down which was really awesome to hear and Shirt which is what I hear is the first time they played that live ever. Everybody in the band was rocking really sweet beards and I was super excited about it. They are going on a west coast tour from the 4th-16th on these dates so check them out. They will also be on KPSU on the 13th which is gonna be awesome!

Street Smart Cyclist

I don't know what to say. I guess I could say that I am speechless. That would be a start. It was so amazing to see them live. Everybody was freaking out more than I've ever seen anybody freak out for anything. The band had very little room to work with, but they entirely worked with it. I think I even saw John Galm cry a little during Kiss Kitty. Then again, I think a lot of the crowd was half in tears, the set was beautiful. They played their discography. I have nothing else to say. My glasses broke during the first 5 seconds of the first song, indicating how crazy everything was.

Day 2

Boyfriends

I have barely heard anything by them, but they were pretty awesome. I really wish I was more prepared for day 2 of the reunion. Seriously, these guys rule.

Midi & The Modern Dance

I seriously love these guys more than anything ever. They are another Connecticut band(The entire state came, for real) They sound like a Belle & Sebastian cover band that listens to Snowing and Algernon. Make It Easy On Yourself is available for "Name your price" so I highly recommend checking it out. They are also on tour and I was about to go to Connecticut just to see them again. Do yourself a favor and do what I didn't do. This was my second time seeing these young brutes and it won't be my last.

My Heart To Joy

I'm not gonna lie. I didn't do my homework before I came to this show and only listened to Seasons In Verse like twice a while ago. Although it was good, I don't know why I didn't get into it. This is pretty much The Words Is and... but with a slightly different line-up.

Stay Ahead Of The Weather

I wasn't wearing my glasses for this entire show so I just spent this entire set thinking I was watching Castevet. Not even joking, I even was screaming Castevet lyrics for a while because I don't know them that well either.

Castevet

Topshelf Records Chicago emo-punks. Really good, really fun. They have Bill Murray and Michael Jordan tee shirts(I got the Bill Murray one). They recently changed their name to CSTVT after legal issues with a band with the same name from New York. The other band sucks by the way. It's experimental metal.

Street Smart Cyclist

Second verse, same as the first. It was the same show but even more intense. I spent the entire set on the stage and came off it with cuts and bruises all up my leg from being slammed into the stage. I attempted crowd-surfing but people were too busy pushing each other and falling over to hold on to me. Snowing is now on tour so go to their shows and tell you how much fun you had at Street Smart or how angry you are that you missed it.

In Total:

The first day, I almost crashed into several cars due to snow, parked in an abandoned billards lot, and broke my glasses during Street Smart's set. I Couldn't drive home, so Nick drove my car all the way to New Jersey so that I was blind in the back seat freaking out because the roads were icy and I don't let anybody drive my car. The 2 days were full of friendship and almost deaths. But in total, despite it probably being a bad idea, it was certainty an adventure that was well needed. I didn't stay all the days that I wanted to, didn't get any interviews(despite spending the night with Nick Stutsman of Park Jefferson), and am still sore. I'd totally do this again, though.

Street Smart Cyclist - Recap