The opinions expressed in these blogs are solely those of the people who wrote them, and do not represent the views of WPSU or Penn State University.

Live Local Music

Crawling out from the Rain

Posted by Aaron Wynne on 10/08 at 08:07 AM

It was a rainy, miserable day, and as the sun set, The Nightcrawlers emerged. Playing in front of a half full crowd in the musty tavern of the Phyrst, The Nightcrawlers infused the room with classic rock.

Let me just say, I was thoroughly impressed and content with this band’s performance. With a cover heavy set-list, they cleverly introduced some original songs throughout their performance.

One of their own songs, “Blue Silver” really got me into their groove. I admired the post-rock-esque beginning that quickly built up into a more modern classical rock feel with a hint of folk. One thing that snared my attention was the lead guitarist’s ability to really speak through his guitar and make his solos stand out as meaningful rather than a random slab of notes.

Among the covers they played was one of my favorite classic rock songs: “All Along the Watchtower.” They were able to keep their style and implement it on their version of the song that seemed to meet somewhere in the middle of Bob Dylan’s version and Jimi’s.

It’s always nice when a band can incorporate other instruments and really harness their power. I’m not just saying this because I like bass, but because it shows a musical prowess. It adds to the flow of the music and helps make it stand out in its own light. The Nightcrawlers did just that with their keyboard and bass, and even with the saxophone that the rhythm guitarist busted out a few times.

I really found that the band was able to capture the essence of rock and roll, and music in general. Fusing different elements of music into different verses, the band really moved me and inspired me in that true rock sense. And they didn’t sacrifice their musical abilities to simply obey the standard set before them. They made many of the covers their own.

They even fused together two Beatles’ tunes: “Eleanor Rigby” and “A Day in the Life.” And they made it look and feel natural. If you didn’t known they were two separate tunes, you would have thought it was a single song.

The band also played a cover song from the Mumford & Son’s “Little Lion Man,” harnessing the power of folk. This song really spoke to me, and the band was able to play it in a way that just pervades and inspires. 

If bands want to successfully play the State College music scene, they should take a note from The Nightcrawlers. Infuse the music with your own style, play it in a way that makes it reminiscent, but move in the way you want it to. Also don’t be afraid to go ahead and mix some of your own tunes in there. If it’s good, the crowd will respond.