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Concert Tue May 01 2012
Review: Gauntlet Hair and A Lull @ Schubas 4/29/12
The rambunctious duo, Craig Nice and Andy R. of Gauntlet Hair (Dead Oceans Records), may seem like two typical, young, and energetic mid-western gentlemen, but their onstage demeanor draws an opposite conclusion. Praised in the local grunge scene, Gauntlet Hair drew quite the crowd at Schubas Sunday night, where they headlined with tour mates and fellow Chicago natives, A Lull.
A Lull (photos by Sara Pieper)
The duo that make up Gauntlet Hair, now-Denver dwellers, are familiar with the names, faces and places of Chicago. The audience was filled with friends and family, and Gauntlet Hair gave shout outs to Mom and Dad. Oh, the sweet adoring families doting on their offspring on stage — a truly heart-melting occasion. Sentiment aside, the duo made sure this fact was known: their undeniable stage presence is a force to be reckoned with. Chicago is their home turf and it would have been a damn shame not to witness them in full-unabashed fervor.
Gauntlet Hair (photos by Sara Pieper)
Improvising on stage, free of shame, they began hollering to random audience members, inciting a call-and-response between songs. Gauntlet Hair did it all. The sound was gritty, and the vocals, as far as the lyrics are concerned, were indecipherable at best. But what they lacked in vocals they made up for in instrumentals. They weaved through innate chaos like it was second nature. The mess broke down into a compartmentalized arrangement of echoing hiss and heavy snares. It was loud, and near deafening, but not to the point of physical discomfort.
Broken strings and blistered thumbs, Gauntlet Hair wasn't lackluster. Lead singer and guitarist, Andy, plucked and strummed with his pulsating rhythm. Their chemistry onstage was undeniable. There is a familial complexity in their friendship. The crowd noticed this kinetic connection right away. It is evident that the two, who have been playing together for almost a decade, really do "love the shit out of each other."
Gauntlet Hair (photos by Sara Pieper)
"Keep Time," a track off their first full-length self-titled album (2011) was played as the grand finale of their set. With blundering crescendos, the song drifted back and forth from near silence to blaring thunder. Some people might hear this as too much noise and chaos. But I, for one, didn't leave disappointed.
-Rachel Angres
