Hot Topic Acoustic Show!

So I just got back home from our acoustic in-store performance with Moneta, at the Everett Mall Hot Topic, and it was so much fun. Without very much promotion we packed the place! Addy, the store manager, who also loves Moneta, had set us up in the store window display and everyone walking by stopped in for at least a song or two.
The window display stage was small, and only fit two people, which is fine because just Chris and I were performing that night anyway. Kevin was busy taking photos for us and running our sound, and Tori was helping at the Merch table with Meggo!

We started the set with "The Games We Play." Usually we have this song follow our intro/first song live, but acoustically there really isn't a better song to start with. At the start of the song the place was packed and by the end of it, customers couldn't even walk in to shop, (sorry guys, lol)!

Recently, we made the choice to tune all of our guitars up a half step to what's called standard tuning, and I must say it made a huge difference for Chris and his comfort level as a vocalist. He really showed a level of confidence and control at this acoustic show, which is so hard. As a vocalist who normally sings harder, more energetic music, stripping it down to just an acoustic guitar leaves your voice vulnerable and exposed. Chris isn't affected by this at all. He still sings with as much energy and emotion as he does live with the full band. Anyway, it made me smile listening back and hearing him sing so well. He is such a talented vocalist and on behalf of the entire band we feel so lucky to have his talents on guitar along with his voice.

Well back to the show. We played all of our songs except for our new one, which we were saving for our show the next day at El Corazon. Ending the set with my personal favorite, "August," the reaction we got from the intimate crowd was so uplifting and was a great start to what would become the best weekend I have had in a long long time.

Right after we played I helped Moneta setup and that was a ton of fun finding room. I think it worked out better though, because the small size of the stage made Chris B and Jerry have to play pretty much in the Audience, which you know they loved. :)
I ran sound for the rest of their show, and besides learning that Taylor Guitars are rediculiously bassy, I also notice the individual control each member had over their instruments and voice. They played some of their new songs off their new EP, "Heroes," and some of the old favorites, like "Kid Go," which was sort of an influence for our name in a way, but that's a different blog all together.

Overall the Hot Topic crew, like Addy and District Manager Chuck, were on top of everything. It was such a great show, and I don't think there would have been a better way to start off a weekend!