A Great Big Pile of Leaves (photo: Marina Toro)
Rainy nights in worn-down, humid warehouses are the makings for Florida DIY shows. Tucked behind Skate Park of Tampa, the Topshelf Tour rolled in to the Epic Problem venue with blazing alternative punk variety.
“It’s nice to finally play a punk show on this tour,” teased Rachel Browne, Field Mouse lead singer and guitarist. “I mean, we’re actually playing a skate park.”
The first official Topshelf Records Tour featured Brooklyn favorite A Great Big Pile of Leaves, Diamond Youth, Prawn, and Field Mouse. The variety of acts zipped from indie rock to pop punk with jarring, contagious energy. A crowd of 50-plus crammed into the skate park warehouse, but the DIY venue couldn’t contain energy between sets.
Headliner A Great Big Pile of Leaves brought mellow energy, sweeping audience members onstage with “Alligator Bop” and “Flying Fish.” There’s something hypnotic about the Brooklyn boys, in both bassist Tucker Yaro’s stage presence and the lulling pleasure felt in songs like “Race Car Driving.” Stage-diving catapulted fans for night-shattering moments in “A Few Screws Loose.” The cohesion in A Great Big Pile of Leaves’ performance, from exchanges on stage to seamless sound, just proved how solid this band is.
Diamond Youth wailed a flamboyant stage presence that was insistent to raise energy. In spite of speedy chords, it was drummer Brendan Yates that drove the energy in the set. Influence seems to be key to the band’s success: early Queens of Stone Age and Weezer almost echo in their performance, sans the garage.
Field Mouse (photo: Amanda Starling)
Prawn, known for rolling, post-rock intensity and wave-like vitality, entranced the audience. The songs from Kingfisher, their third album released in August, translated best in a live setting. The set balanced early Prawn favorite “Grass and Bones” with Kingfisher’s “Scud Running.” The pace only dropped during “Absurd Walls,” which showcased the grinding, provoking side of Prawn. Despite a prior round of golf, vocalist/guitarist Tony Clark kept consistent energy that personified Prawn as powerful performers.
Field Mouse began the evening with pop punk undertones matched with whimsical energy from vocalist/guitarist Browne. Think Garbage, but with a little less upfront cynicism, comparable in surprisingly edgy lyrics. The down-to-earth demeanor of Field Mouse balanced synthesized energy with punk roots.
Catch the rest of the Topshelf Tour dates here.
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