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Concert Review: Scars on 45

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And now for another installment of “Bands Allan Loves That You’ve Never Heard Of.” This episode, Scars on 45. Scars on 45 is a really great alternative acoustic/electric band from the UK. They released their first EP in early 2011, and a follow up EP in October of the same year. They’ve been touring heavily throughout this year, both as support and recently as headliners. I caught them last night at the legendary Troubadour in West Hollywood.
They were great. They’re pretty much always great. They have a really wonderful dynamic, and watching them onstage, I can tell that they are all really happy to be playing music with each other. They don’t make a big fuss about their performance. They just walk out, smile, and start singing. Between every song they chat with the audience and with each other, giving the whole room a very relaxed and comfortable vibe. I got to meet them last summer after a show in Portland, and I got the sense that they were all there because they really wanted to be.
Last night they played for a little over an hour, which was a reasonable set length. Their set comprised a really good mix of old and new material. They played all four songs from their “Give Me Something” EP, which tend to be the songs people know best. They spaced them out with some tunes from the more recent “Heart On Fire” EP, and a few songs from their upcoming album (April 10). The set had the right balance of loud and soft, big and small, and even though their music is generally all of a single style, there was nothing boring or tiring about the show.
I think what impresses me the most about these guys is how good they sound live. In the age of pitch correction and auto tune, it’s really easy to make a perfect recording without much effort. But to follow it up with a live performance that sounds nearly as good as the studio recording is a rare feat. Scars on 45 accomplishes it, and with little ado. Vocal harmonies, song rhythms, and all instrument parts are well-rehearsed and professional, and would easily outdo many practicing performers on any given night.
Scars on 45 is a gem of a band. I’ve really enjoyed watching them climb the ladder of success over the past 12 months. And their ascent is far from over. Last week they played on Jay Leno, and recently their song “Beauty Runs Wild” was featured in an episode of CSI. Their fan base grows daily. This band is going places yet, don’t get left behind.
-AV
Scars on 45 will release their self-titled debut album on April 10th, 2012. Pre-order here at the band’s website.
Listen to Scars on 45 and “Like” their Facebook page here.
See more of my photos from the show (including a few of the support acts, Moneybrother and Y Luv) here.

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