Barely Blind performs at UC satellite

Pop punk band Barely Blind played the UC satellite courtyard yesterday afternoon – and I not only managed to catch most of their performance, but also got the opportunity to chat with these handsome boys after the show! The band consists of Steven Salisbury (guitar), Reid Guidry (bass), Bradley Cuccio (vocals), and Will Smith (drums).

Smith considers Blink 182 as their main influence – others include Smashing Pumpkins, the Beatles, and Green Day, but I’d say they sounded very much like an upbeat version of Oasis. They have been touring consistently since they got signed in 2003.

“We’ve done about 10 or 15 tours so far,” Smith said.

Barely Blind also frequently plays local shows at Houston venues like The Meridian and Warehouse Live, so it was nice to have them come out and play on campus and promote their album. I know I got a copy!

“We decided to play here today because we really enjoy connecting with the college demographic,” Smith said.

I was thoroughly impressed by their performance – I get SO excited when we get live bands to play on campus. Next satellite show will be held March 2!!!

Timbaland, Malloy and Down With Webster take House of Blues stage

Rapper and producer Timbaland rocked the House of Blues crowd last night, joined by American Idol Season 7 semifinalist Kady Malloy and Canadian hip hop band Down With Webster. Timbaland’s younger brother Sebastian also performed.

The night was highly energetic and surprisingly packed for a Tuesday. Timbaland performed hits from his Shock Value albums and was backed by a band and a breathtaking light show. Since they couldn’t be there to perform live, the animated images of stars he’s worked with like Katy Perry and Justin Timberlake were painted on a LED screen on the stage – a truly entertaining touch to the evening. I think I even spotted a Jonas brother on that screen.

Opening act Kady Malloy (who by the way, went to my high school) also made an impression as she covered Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, and Michael Jackson with a heavy rock influence. Her performance was catchy, but no doubt had a hint of that Taylor Swift wannabe mediocrity – and her back-up singers/dancers were a complete disaster.

Malloy’s band, on the other hand, was the only factor that brought sophistication and maturity to the show. They added some much-needed rock-and-roll to her set, and it all ended up coming together nicely. And I’m not just saying that because the bass player resembled Nikki Sixx and because I know the guitar player (by the way, congratulations, Scott, you rocked).

Down With Webster took the stage between the Malloy and Timbaland acts. I’m just not sure I even get them – in fact, I don’t think anyone got them. As I looked to my right and then to my left, everyone looked confused as to what this band was trying to accomplish. A loud and disorganized bunch they were, and just SO offensive to my ears. I could not wait to tune them out. So at that point in the evening, I made my way to the bar.