The aforementioned friend also warned me their stage show was “unlike anything [he’d] ever seen before,” a comment which I wasn’t sure what to make of until show time. Upon seeing the rich backdrop tied-in with the album art and the treasure chest of props on stage, things started to make a bit more sense. The only comparison I could think to make was something similar to an early Alice Cooper (when that was the band name)-type thing. Once their (too short) set began, everything fell into focus.
Frontman, Bryan Scary, used the props to shift the narrative perspective, as necessary, while the style-bending and nearly-spastic band followed with precision. To call this band “dramatic” is definitely an understatement. Both in performance and song, the Shredding Tears are a band that shifts visual and musical landscapes constantly.
I’m usually not one for the whole 3rd person/persona frontman and band thing, but they sell it on the strength of the underlying songs. There is just enough gimmick to give the air of being a full-blown production, but the whole thing remains centered in a rock band on stage playing their tunes which keeps the listener focused.
Definitely check them out if they hit your area:
March 29 – Brooklyn, NY @ Southpaw
April 1 – Brooklyn, NY @ Sound Fix (in-store)
April 5 – Toledo, OH @ Frankie’s Innercity
April 6 – Minneapolis, MN @ 400 Bar
April 7 – Madison, WI @ The Annex
April 9 – Boise, ID @ Neurolux
April 10 – Seattle, WA @ Nectar
April 11 – Portland, OR @ Towne Lounge
April 13 – San Francisco, CA @ Red Devil Lounge
Bryan Scary Homepage
Flight of the Knife Homepage (streaming audio)
Bryan Scary Myspace
