Lonely Fossa, A Band Called Dreamland, and MUDD at Summit Music Hall
The Summit Music Hall had a stellar lineup this past Saturday, February 20th, featuring some prominent rising stars of Columbus. While the night felt very low-key, the music being played combined with the surprisingly engaged lighting created a great atmosphere for the sets themselves.
Lonely Fossa opened the night drowned in effects and reverb that washed over me. The dreamy shoegaze sound was a great fit for the venue both visually and acoustically. Like the other acts, Fossa’s songs leaned more on the brooding, even emo side, and frontman Miles Miller’s howling voice that often bordered on a growl fit perfectly. Lonely Fossa’s next show will be at Double Happiness on March 13th, and their newest single ‘Wake Up Call’ is out now on Spotify and Apple Music.
The Band Called Dreamland was a welcome change of pace, with a much poppier, piano-driven sound. Above all, I was impressed by Dreamland’s songwriting. The songs covered subjects of love, mental illness, and creative frustration with a great deal of semi-ironic wit and charm. Think AJR meets Bo Burnham, but make it gen-z. Frontman Brady Blair supports the lyrics with a true pop singer voice, even venturing into rap at times.
The band deftly wove between more conversational verses and powerful pop choruses, taking great advantage of the lighting to create a lively stage presence. The highlighted presence of the piano made the show feel almost show tune-y, which I thought fit well with the overall aesthetic.
Headliner MUDD has been hot on the Columbus radar since their formation last year and debut release in January. They came in blazing with hard-hitting indie rock songs that felt at once gritty and polished to a sheen. The group performed with a laid-back confidence that was definitely backed up by their musicianship.
True to form, the songs bore a wide range of genre influences from grunge to neo-soul to psych-rock, with each one feeling distinct (despite the band’s proud trademark of underdeveloped names.) My suspicions of their King Gizzard influences were confirmed when they broke out a gnarly cover of “Mars for the Rich.” I was definitely not disappointed in the band’s ability to make good on their presentation. MUDD’s debut EP ‘DESCEND’ is out now on all platforms. They also hinted at some great songs from the show releasing soon, so they are definitely an act to keep an eye on.