Slow to Surface, Amplify 2008

There wasn’t much incentive to check out Amplify, the mini-music conference hosted by Jillian’s and a handful of downtown music venues. After all, its headliners were Hawthorne Heights, a mediocre band still fanning the fading embers of emo, and Vanilla Ice, who almost single-handedly obliterates the credibility of the four-day event. (This, to say nothing of the one obscure, participating band who proclaimed on Myspace that its showcase would represent its first-ever show - some qualifying process over there at Amplify HQ, eh?) However, its convenient stacking of 20-minute performances begged a visit, if only to catch up with some local bands.

First stop was upstairs at Jillian’s with Sex Pop Suicide, who played for a small crowd of people who may or may not have been fans. Its Sunset Strip, glam-punk style reminded me of a New York Dolls without the subversion or the winking. Or a New York Dolls for people who might run from the real New York Dolls. Or maybe just a blander New York Dolls. Anyway, neither bad nor remarkable.

I purposely hadn’t seen Lydia Vance, who followed, since its rough, second-ever gig almost two years ago. I’m still the only one I know sorta underwhelmed by its grungy update of ’70s NYC punk, but the quartet has definitely improved over time, maintaining its grit but projecting both focus and a fair degree of versatility. There might’ve been more detectable nuance in their songs, too, but the sound upstairs was lacking.

That’s nothing compared to the sputtering wretchedness coming from the speakers downstairs for Searchlight’s showcase. And yet, as bad as the sound was, you could still make out each and every rock-radio reference point from the band’s music. Which means, regrettably, Searchlight is more of the same. Which also means if bands like Angels and Airwaves are going to be on the radio, there’s no reason Searchlight shouldn’t be on the playlists too. It executes its U2-gone-emo output professionally; it just needs some fresh inspiration.

While Hawthorne Heights played its bill-topping set on that same stage, Slow to Surface headlined the Four Queens’s Canyon Club, with an attendance of about 20 and only half of us actually watching the veteran local band. This was not lost on singer Benwood, who mockingly exclaimed, “Fuck us, anyway!” after the first song, and then, “We live here and they still don’t give a shit about us!” after the third.

But this was no pity party: Slow to Surface is still as passionate and bracing as it was when it emerged seven years ago, playing Wednesday night to win over every last one of our meager group. Unlike the three aforementioned sets, this one felt like a performance, a band giving its absolute all, from start to finish. And on top of it all, the quintet didn’t sound like a carbon copy of its influences. At any rate, more people filed in to watch; the sound was (finally!) crystal clear; and Benwood kept the banter flowing. The only thing he didn’t say was, “Don’t take us for granted.”