Division Day played to a sparse but appreciative crowd on the Hi-Dive on Friday.
I have been to so many sold out shows recently that it was a bit of a pleasant surprise to find myself at a less-than-half-full on Friday night for show. This band has such an eclectic selection of songs that if you weren’t one of the people there, you may find yourself wishing you had been a few months down the road.
While the show itself wasn’t anything special in itself — the energy in the band was middling –the music made the performance. Division Day’s singer/keyboardist Rohner Segnitz has a beautiful voice and the songs are mesmerizing. The music is also somber at times, Segnitz and guitarist Ryan Wilson projecting a serious demeanor on stage. Drummer Kevin Lenhart and bassist/guitarist Seb Bailey, on the other hand, were merrily rocking along. It made for a contradicting stage presence.
Although the crowd was small, the majority people there were extremely taken by the band. After every song there was lots of cheering and clapping, especially for a place like the Hi-Dive, where crowds too often remain aloof rather than show appreciation for the music. I even saw a bit of sway-dancing, which attests to the quartet’s attraction (as we all know, any sort of dancing at an indie rock show means you’re doing something right as a band).
Division Day’s set consisted almost entirely of songs from “Beartrap Island,” including lovely takes on “Colorguard” and “Hurricane.” In fact, only two songs the played that night were from earlier EP “The Mean Way In.”
With songs ranging between melodic indie rock to choppier British dance-rock, Division Day offered a bit of everything. I’d venture to say itap just a matter of time until these guys are playing one of the aforementioned sold-out shows.
For more of Reverb contributor Tiffany Child’s music writing, check out her blog .
