On an unseasonably balmy November Friday night at Brooklyn’s Union Pool on November 12th, Silver Synthetic swept up from New Orleans to deliver a set of tight rock and roll for fans at Union Pool during their first New York City show.
Opening with the thumping “Anyway I Can” the four-piece, Chris Lyons, Lucas Bogner, Pete Campanelli and Kunal Prakash, commanded the small room with confidence. At times sounding like a mix of The Velvet Underground, The Byrds and Neil Young (who they wished a happy birthday to from the stage) the quartet drove through a short set of catchy tunes.
“Unchain Your Heart” had a bang and strut to it before a ripping solo capped off the winning effort while “In The Beginning” cooked with a “Sweet Jane” like steam. Prakash’s lead lines often accentuated by Lyons riffing flairs had power, as the band cut and wove with dexterity. Touches of west coast light country twang and southern soul smoothness accentuated “Around The Bend” before “Chasm Killer” rang out with Beatles like pop flair.
The pumping “Out of the Darkness” was a highlight of a strong set with the revving low end pushing the tune forward around tight soaring guitar lines. The band was closely knit and the compressed feeling never fell into jamband land, but perhaps a bit more freedom would help the songs come alive even more on stage.
The band delivered their tunes with strength, climaxing with a pitch-perfect cover of Thunderclap Newman’s “Something In The Air” ringing out with jangling clarity for the fans in attendance. Riding high from their self-titled debut, Silver Synthetic have built a strong foundation and continues to progress live.
