Last night, I attended the Anberlin show at the Vernon Club. The Vernon Club is one of the few venues in Louisville I had yet to see, so this was a new experience for me. The club itself had some pros and cons. The pros included cheap drinks, readily available food, and an intimate atmosphere. The biggest con for me was the lighting. It was very dark, which made it hard to take pictures. However, Terry Harper, who organized the concert, and his crew were very accommodating. In my experience, his shows are usually very well organized.
The first band to perform was Monsters Calling Home from Los Angeles. This was their first tour, but you really couldn’t tell. Monsters Calling Home did a great job using male and female vocals and a well-rounded mixture of instruments.
The second act to perform was Mychal Cohen. Mychal Cohen is a member of the band Campfire OK, but he played this show solo and acoustic. He had a soft sound; there were times I could barely hear him over the crowd noise.
There was a long pause in between each act, which can be boring. During this time, though, the opening acts wandered into the crowd and chatted with the fans. A distraction like that can help the time pass more quickly.
Anberlin graced the stage last. Their acoustic set was different than their usual sound, but everyone in the crowd seemed to enjoy it. In fact, there were quite a few people around me screaming out the lyrics! Being an elementary school music teacher and former percussionist, I enjoyed that Anberlin used auxiliary percussion, like glockenspiels and jingle bells, in their acoustic set. Their set included fan favorites such as A Day Late, Breaking, Dismantle Repair, and Unwinding Cable Car among others.
Since the Vernon club is right by the I-64 exit on Story Avenue, I found it very easy to get out of the traffic and get home!
All in all, I had a great time! I would definitely recommend seeing the aforementioned acts if they come to Louisville again!
