A really good sized, enthusiastic and loud crowd packed Average Joes to party with Detroit rockers Pop Evil at Average joes, July 28. On a Thursday night. They made quite an impression with their last minute show at Average Joes last year as many audience members were wearing shirts from that tour and were back for a second shot of Pop Evil.
The show started at 9:30 p.m. with no opening act and ended at 11.
The band was having the time of their lives and their enthusiasm was contagious as the audience roared, shouted and sang along to a solid hour-and a half of heavy Rage Against the Machine style grooving, easily digestible modern rock chock full of big detuned guitars, crunchy riffs and yowling vocals along the lines of Nickelback, Creed and Pearl Jam but with just a touch of hip hop influence.
The bass heavy set was so loud the vibrations were bouncing my beer across my table.
The crowd sang along to most of songs especially “ So Many Ways to Get High” and the new single “ Take it All.” They played a lot of their latest aptly named CD “ Up”
New drummer Hayley Cramer was a powerhouse, thrashing away at her kit on the top of a tall drum riser, sounded like she‘s been playing with Pop Evil for years instead of a mere two months. Guitarists Davey Grahs and Nick Fuelling and bassist Matt diRito would join her on the riser, thrash their heads around and step back down onto the bare stage.
The amps were set off stage, giving the band plenty of space to roam on stage.
They played their older hits near the end of the set.
The crowd sang along with “Fall To Pieces.” which came near the end of the show.
They played an acoustic set mid show in beginning with a cover of Collective Soul’s “Shine.” and a few of their quieter songs.
Near end of set “Dead in the Water ” featured some nice harmonized guitar and “ Seattle Rain” provided one of several slightly softer moments.
At first it looked like there would be no encore, leaving the enthusiastic crowd wanting more, but they returned to wind up the show with two performances of their latest hit “Footsteps,” because “we fucked it up (though it didn’t sound like it),” shouted frontman Leigh Kakaty, crowing, “ we drove four days to get here.” He sounded like he’d do it again in an instant. He told the audience about being proud to be from Canada , hailing from Kingston originally and thanked the crowd for being so into rock and roll.
The crowd sang most of it the second time around as Kakaty wandered into the midst of the bar and jumped on top of a table to conduct the crowd.
