02/10/2012

Down With Webster’s concert last Thursday taught me one thing I really should have known all along: I should never judge a book by its cover. Yet I did judge that book (or band) by their cover. Down With Webster, the hit Canadian band that has nothing short of earned their success, played at The Middle East in Cambridge last week as part of their American tour to a crowd of roughly 100 people. My friend Hanna and I were backstage to interview them and later rock out to their concert.

Click the link to see our interview: http://youtu.be/HBv8_PbQWcE

Before going, I listened to a few of their songs. Standard, really. The first song I stumbled upon was “Rich Girl,” a song I later learned was a cover, and I fell right into love with the music. At first, it felt as if I was back in 8^th grade, going through that boy band phase that everyone seems to go through. Later, at their concert, I realized that was not what I was feeling. Their music – better appreciated live, for the record – was more mature than an All Time Low or Fall Out Boy song.

I will openly admit that this type of music isn’t my favorite. They dip into rap a few times more than I would listen to on my own. That being said, for roughly a week now I have been listening to Down With Webster music nonstop.

Their concert, which I would recommend everyone go to as soon as they get a chance, was an energizing mix of vocals and drums, much like any other band. Where they differed, though, was their passion. In such a small venue, I felt, as many others did, engaged in an active listening experience where it felt as if the concert members were singing to me.

In addition, the songs are just flat out good – and catchy. This seven member band superseded my expectations in concert. “Whoa is Me” is perhaps their best song, as indicated by the fact that it has been stuck in my head for about a week now without end (no complaints here!). Most of their songs, especially of their new album, sound as if someone mixed together –cue excellent rap song- and the unique, back of the garage band music you fall in love with because the band members are charismatic.

But when some of their lyrics seem stereotypical, then you hear songs like “White Flags.” It’s a murky song, dark and twisted with tales of drinking and surrender. Between the shaking beat and the deep chorus, the song strikes gold. While I might have doubted it at one point, their music is mixed with experiences past and the passion that ignites the stage when they perform.

So while many people many not know who Down With Webster are in the USA, I urge them to take a second look. These men aren’t the typical boy band that we would otherwise look over. I mean, they opened for the Black Eyed Peas. These genuinely nice guys play for crowds of thousands of fans every month. These guys mean business, and they’re not going home until “Whoa is Me” is stuck in your head (SCORE!).