CONCERT REVIEW: Static and Surrender 'Electrifies' @ Hollywood's Hotel Cafe

Written by Jessica Klausing

Static and Surrender. Photo by Jessica Klausing.

Bay area rockers Static and Surrender are on tour throughout California in honor of their debut album release. Their energetic riffs and rhythms are on par with the alternative superstar acts such as Lifehouse and Matchbox Twenty. Jeff Campbell (lead vocals, guitar) backed by John Schuman (drums), Adam Schuman (guitar, vocals), and Lauren Stockner (bass player) – all stars in their own right – delivered a passionate performance at Hollywood’s Hotel Café.

Jeff Campbell puts his heart and soul into each song and it shows. He kept the set running smoothly and without interruption for the majority of the night. Opening up with “Killing The Vibe” Campbell belts a powerful vocal delivery that commands the attention in a room while his bandmates exerted lighting-in-a-bottle energy around the small stage with ease.

Jeff Campbell. Photo by Jessica Klausing

With such a strong reaction from the crowd, the level of energy and intensity only grew with each song.  The next song, “If Only We Could Sleep” was no exception.  John Schuman pounded the drums as if his very life depended on it! His intensity was so great, that at one point, he had accidentally knocked over his microphone stand.

As the night continued, the crowd was introduced to more memorable tunes including the bluesy rollicking “Not Another Dime,” the ever so catchy “Fall On The Blade,” and the melancholic “Slow Crash.”

The brooding guitar anthem “You Won’t Remember Me” prompted a crowd sing-a-long. Despite the song being new, the crowd jumped right in with the chorus, “I got high! So high!”

“Just Because” followed with a stripped down funky rhythm courtesy of Adam Schuman and Lauren Stockner. Campbell explained that the song is about society’s expectations for us to find love, marry, and procreate.

Static and Surrender perform at Hotel Cafe. Photo by Jessica Klausing

The tempo slowed back down for “Mary Shelley,” a thoughtful and soul searching song just before revving the guitars back up for a spirited rendition of David Bowie’s “Moonage Daydream.”

Ending with “The Very Long Night,” Static and Surrender put on an electrifying performance overall.

Check out Static and Surrender’s debut album. If you get the chance to see them live, do it! Very few artists have that special knack to sound better live than in the studio. Static and Surrender is definitely one of those bands that kick it up a notch in the live shows.

SETLIST:
Killing The Vibe
If Only We Could Sleep
Not Another Dime
Fall On The Blade
Slow Crash
You Won’t Remember Me
Just Because
Mary Shelley
Moonage Daydream (David Bowie cover)
The Very Long Night
 

CONCERT REVIEW: Szlachetka's Heart Of My Hometown @ Hollywood's Hotel Cafe

Written by Jessica Klausing

 Szlachetka and his band perform at Hotel Cafe. Photo by Jessica Klausing.

Szlachetka (pronounced SLA-HET-KA) is out on tour in support of his new album release, Heart Of My Hometown. Rolling Stone Magazine praised the album citing Szlachetka as a ‘New Country Artist to Know.’ That was evident as many Angelinos packed into the Second Stage venue at Hollywood’s Hotel Café on Wednesday night. The music was Americana roots rock superb, the storytelling honed the heartland spirit, and with the added chemistry of Szlachetka’s full band— it was transcendence into musical nirvana.

The minute Szlachetka crooned into the steel guitar opener “Algebra” the audience knew it was on a heartfelt journey. Bathed in blue stage lights and clad in a button up faded shirt and jeans, Szlachetka exemplified raw emotion and musical prowess. Delicate guitar strums coupled with rich, warm vocals. Electric guitars cranked up for the rock n’ roll road trip anthem, “Ready To Run Again,” forcing everyone up on their feet.

 Szlachetka photo by Jessica Klausing.

Szlachetka followed with the titular, “Heart Of My Hometown,” which prompted many cheers from the audience. Szlachetka bids farewell to his home place in route to a new adventure as he sings, “Farewell/ don’t look back just make ‘em proud/ No matter where I go/can’t let go to the heart of my hometown.”

Szlachetka’s talented bandmates had their own time to shine in the set: Dave “Mustang” Lang (organ, keyboards) brought out the funky soul swag in the Ry Cooder cover of “Jesus On the Mainline,” Derek Brown (drums, percussion) and Kurtis Keber (bass) flawlessly held down the rhythm in “Until That Echo,” and Jillinda Palmer (vocals) and Samantha Smith (vocals) harmonized pitch perfectly in “Don’t You Think It’s Time.”

Heartfelt life lessons were shared in the latter half of the set. “Wildflowers On The Highway” teaches us to look for the beautiful things from the uglier parts in life. In light of the untimely death of a close friend, Szlachetka sorrowfully shares the importance to cherish life in “Cheated Time.”

 Szlachetka closes with "Back Into Your Heart." Photo by Jessica Klausing.

Closing with the upbeat “Back Into Your Heart” off the Waits For a Storm to Find album, Szlachetka was greeted with blazing smiles and hearty handclaps as the show came to an end.

Szlachetka performs his eclectic twist on the Americana sub genres, bringing together singer-songwriter sentiments, country western, 1970’s California roots rock, and so much more. His songwriting captures plenty of emotional moments on par with legends like Jackson Browne and Jason Isbell. Szlachetka and his band deliver a top notch intimate performance worthy of a big stadium.

SETLIST:
Algebra
Ready To Run Again
Heart Of My Hometown
Jesus On the Mainline (Ry Cooder cover)
Until That Echo
And I See You Now
Don't You Think It's Time
Giving Back The Best Of Me
Wildflowers On The Highway
Ladder To The Stars
Cheated Time
Back Into Your Heart