Balance & Composure take over the TLA
One may be left thinking, “What was that?” Like waking up from a strange dream, you know something happened, but you can not pin-point if it was good, bad, or anything worthwhile to remember. I felt that way after leaving the TLA, the venue for an obscure local band, Balance and Composure. Something happened there, perhaps it was the heat from the crowd pushing its way forward, the strobing lights that gave a cohesive atmosphere, or the smoke the lingered in my face, but regardless, something did go down.
Creepoid, another local band, fiercely opened up the venue. Their style was punk-rock, complete with the bassist/singer Anna Troxell doing numerous leg-pivots and eventually dropping to the ground while bumping the mic-stand. I found that their songs lacked a range of mood and sounded too similar. Though I was not attracted to their music style, I admired their passion and wonky dance moves. After Creepoid performed, leaving in a faux fit of rage, SeaHaven appeared.
“Kyle! Kyle, look at me!” Over the affectionate yells directed at the lead singer from numerous ladies in the audience, one could hear the melodic yet punky feel of Seahaven; a band that formed in California and has been touring with Balance and Composure. I immediately fell in love with their music, I got slight reminisces of a mix between Coldplay and Mumford and Sons. Kyle Chadwick, the lead singer, had a voice like churned butter complete with a raspy aftertaste. They opened with an acoustic version of the song “Honeybee”, a nice break after hearing the rambunctious music from Creepoid.
After a long set-up, Balance and Composure, a band from Doylestown came on and opened with “Parachutes”. With every lyric the fans would shake their arms in the air, jutting out their hands in unison. I actually found myself doing this, almost like being hypnotized by the post-punk/alternative-rock sound waves. Among the crowd surfers, and people trying to keep their footing from being bumped around, I could almost understand the appreciation for the band. But what I think tied it together for me was hearing an acquaintance remark about them after the concert, “Listening to them is a task in it’s own, it deserves attention.” Thinking back, I believe that to be completely true, SeaHaven I could listen to while doing homework, but Balance and Composure wouldn’t be classified as pretty background noise, they were the noise, and what they had to say was important.
After leaving the TLA I felt like the voice of Balance and Composure could only reach this tight niche group of music goers who just understood Jon Simmons and his band’s lyrics; without trying. I believe many people have that one band that they can lose themselves in, and let the lyrics carry them away. For the fans of Balance and Composure, they already found it, but for the rest of us, maybe even you, I hope the search is close. Perhaps you want to feel like you woke up from a strange dream too, I did not entirely mind it. Balance and Composure will continue their tour and move onto the UK, so if you missed them this time, keep your eyes open for when they’re back home.
Written by: Layah Bogen
Photos by: Courtney Turnball
