Cold Night, Hot Music: False Pockets, Vacation Daze and The Low Spirits at Abilene

The reprieve from polar temperatures has drawn people out to enjoy some of the night life. In the spirit of the mid-winter thaw, Rochester’s Abilene Bar and Lounge threw an event called “Feel The Warmth” on Friday night. The cozy bar was lined with posters from shows’ past. On the bill were a few of the newer bands on the scene: False Pockets, Vacation Daze, and The Low Spirits.

Over the past year, the quartet has released a few self-recorded singles that were mixed and engineered by their bassist Jim DeWitt. Mid-set Egling announced that they had finished recording an album at Wicked Squid Studios. The work is set for a spring release. They played a song from the upcoming album. The tune, called “Measurement,” features drummer Billy Martin on lead vocals. If this groovy jam is any indication, we can look forward to great things from the new album.

The Low Spirits rounded out this night of discovery. The quartet includes two of the three members of the psychedelic/blues band St. Phillip’s Escalator (Ryan Moore and Zachary Koch). Both bands build upon a foundation of rock ‘n roll, but The Low Spirits has more of a 70’s rock vibe. The difference was apparent when there was some riffing on Led Zep during their sound check at Abilene. Moore, a man of many hats, was on guitar, vocals, and sometimes his vintage Farfisa keyboard. The distortion on guitars and rhythms pumped through an antique VOX bass cabinet lent to their authentic retro sound.

Zachary Koch was stationed behind the drums. With his sticks held  in a traditional grip, he added fills which evoke a comparison to the drumming style of Ringo Starr. This was only their second show, but they’ve already got a third booked at Photo City Improv on March 9.

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