Yes, Single File drummer Chris Depew loves his job. Photos by .
There should be a disclaimer for all bands playing a show during Colorado’s winter-spring transition: Be prepared to play to a slight crowd due to the impending Apocalyptic Snowstorm of the Year. Fortunately, if you’re local band , not even the gloomy forecast could stop the show in its tracks — or from nearly selling out, even.
And with good reason. Fans had been waiting for this for months and even years. This was the show that marked the ascension of a group of local heroes. With the release of their major label debut, “Common Struggles,” on Tuesday, these boys could soon be national names. And as the band took the stage after the succession of opening acts, it was clear thatcrowd was there to see Single File — with spirits high and hopes higher.
Frontman Sloan Anderson undoubtedly had this in mind as the opening notes to “Mannequin Loveseat” started out the show. The rest of the band chimed in, prompting the crowd by the foot of the stage to jump and dance in unison as though rehearsed. This type of energy, fresh and optimistic, set the tone for the entire set despite the level of familiarity (or unfamiliarity) the crowd had with each song.
The vibe captured a nostalgia of the first time you heard pop music with a punk sound: Tame enough for the kids, but with tough-and-current content that appeals to youths and twenty-somethings alike. The audience members demonstrated this; One girl, who couldn’t have been older than 14, was singing and dancing alongside an older woman, presumably her mother, who was also singing along and clutching a Miller bottle in her hand.
What’s great about Single File is that the sound for their upcoming album has stayed true to the sound their fan base already knows and loves. The set list was a co-mingling of already popular new releases (such as “Girlfriends”) and the easily recognized past singles that have made their way through the local stations and music scene. And fortunately, the band didn’t let fears of having a song be deemed as “overplayed” stop them from bringing out seasoned, yet much loved, singles “Melody of You” and “Zombies Ate My Neighbors.”
The band’s live performance left me impressed. What could’ve been a showcase for ego and even deserved pretentiousness was instead a salute to the fans who have been there supporting the band’s progression. As with any band that truly loves its fans, they knew what the fans wanted, and they delivered without fail.
Lauren Chavarria is a Denver-based writer and a regular contributor to Reverb.
is a Denver freelance photographer and regular contributor to Reverb.
More photos of Single File:
The Epilogues:
Set Forth:
The Frequent Sea:
