Though things got off to a late start, the May 2, 2008 show featuring Rooney, Locksley, and The Bridges at Madison’s The Annex was worth the wait.
Opener The Bridges was an unexpected treat. Hailing from Alabama, the five-member band features drums, guitars, bass, and keys, but is set apart by its three- and four-part female vocal harmonies. The girls’ voices perfectly compliment each other, and the ease and style in which they perform hints at their roots despite there not being anything overtly southern about their music. Be sure to check out the live videos, as the posted album cuts don’t do The Bridges justice.
Following The Bridges were hometown heroes Locksley. Sporting a new bass player, the band was welcomed with enthusiasm by the crowd. The band has continued to grow as a live act, shedding the matching army jackets and synchronized bows of performances past and finally getting a few scratches in their pretty-boy veneer. The boys of Locksley still deliver tight instrumentals and impeccable vocal harmony, but have toed over to rock and roll from pre-fab pop.
Rounding off the evening was the indomitably happy Rooney. Bringing with them California’s good vibrations, Rooney played a mix of songs from both their LPs, as well as a few covers that clearly inform their sound (The Band’s “The Weight” and The Beach Boys’s “California Girls”). Vocalist/guitarist Robert Carmine had little trouble engaging the crowd, bantering with relatability and charisma. Rooney ended their set with the infectious single “When Did Your Heart Go Missing?“, leaving no one in the crowd standing still. Look for a new album from Rooney, to be recorded after the completion of their summer tour.
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PARTIAL THE BRIDGES SETLIST: All the Words, Pieces, One I Love, Runaway
PARTIAL LOCKSLEY SETLIST: All of the Time, She Does, Why Can’t I Be You, Into the Sun, Get Off Of My Cloud, Hotel Yorba
PARTIAL ROONEY SETLIST: Blueside, If It Were Up To Me, I’m A Terrible Person, I’m Shakin’, Calling The World, When Did Your Heart Go Missing?, Are You Afraid?, Paralyzed, All In Your Head, The Weight, California Girls
For more photos from the show, be sure to check out our Facebook page.
Mixtapes|Heartbreaks 