If you haven't watched any of the concert videos uploaded by Bully, they're all amazing. The channel features a diverse collection of bands performing at DeepRockDrive Studios in Las Vegas.
Boasting "the world's first "interactive concerts", "DeepRockDrive offers shows to subscribers and gives them the opportunity to send instant messages that appear on the screen as their favorite bands perform. This can be awkward at times when people send something mean and words like "t**s" or "poop" appear on the screen, but when the band is good people usually show their support.
There's a lot of IM love to go around when Alive in Wild Paint takes the stage. Featuring 9 songs off of the band's new album, "Ceilings," and a terrific cover of "Good Morning, Joan" by The Cardigans, this set has plenty for the eyes and ears to enjoy.
AIWP is an indie-rock band from Phoenix that has four members, but only two showed up to this performance because of what lead singer Travis Bryant describes as "transportation problems." Bryant's vocals and Matt Grabe's acoustic guitar were more than enough to satisfy this listener. There's no studio audience, but you can imagine AIWP concerts as hushed affairs, with their fans huddled in close to the stage. Bryant and Grabe are both polite, soft-spoken guys. They interact with the subscribers, answer questions and generally have a good time.
The studio is moodily lit and decorated to match the emo vibe of AIWP. The pair is captured in dynamic fashion by four cameras that swoop in and out and play focus tricks, but never in a flashy way, always enhancing the performance rather than distracting from it.
Bryant is a lyricist who wears his heart on his sleeve. My favorite song in this set is "Cold Spell," which he describes as being about a low point in his life. The line "When there's no one left to tell, I keep it to myself" will speak to anyone who's ever been too embarrassed about their problems to share them with others. Other highlights include "Anxious Disease" and the title track of their new album, which is available on iTunes.
