Live Review: The Young Electric
Tremont Music Hall
Jan. 19, 2012

Established verterans and fan favorites like Madina Lake and Hawthorne Heights brought the crowd to Tremont Music Hall last Friday, Jan. 19, but the little-known four piece The Young Electric created so much buzz that they turned the indifferent audience into screaming fans by the end of the set.

The four rockers from Provo, Utah, that form The Young Electric could have been utterly forgettable, playing in the middle of such a heavy lineup. But the band owned it as the members walked out on stage in their black getups, sending out the vibes of shy school boys until they completely transformed when the first notes rung out. Though they looked lost and scared while setting up, they completely changed when the lights hit them. The lead singer skulked along the side of the stage, hiding behind his curtains of black hair, before resembling Gerard Way as he leapt up onto the speakers in an effort to get every person in the crowd dancing. It was as though the first guitar chord flipped a switch and brought him to life.

From the moment The Young Electric began playing their unique blend of light rock and screamo, every eye turned to the stage and more than a few people matched the band scream for scream as the band restored the energy which had been drained from the room by the seemingly out-of-place first band, Charlotte’s The Local Traumatic.

The Young Electric’s guitar player’s abilities — with his mop of red hair flying — turned out to be on par with veteran bands like Coheed & Cambria. His ability to rock out while thrashing about and not falling off of the stage was impressive. He never left the background, yet drew all eyes toward him as he shredded with the technical ability of a musician twice his age.

Vocals wrapped around the heavy guitar melodies, backed up by a steady beat from both bass and drums working together, created a laid-back vibe that made you want to get up and dance the night away.

The typical alternative band persona the boys portrayed before starting was obliterated as they proved they have something different to offer from the scores of young bands that are churned out every year. Though they’ve only been together for a year, The Young Electric proved they could play a hell of a live show and still jump off of speakers and drum kits in the tradition of rock n’ roll.

By the end of the set, they had won over a unfamiliar crowd and turned awkward concert goers into dancing fiends. The band held its own opening for much bigger groups like Hawthorne Heights and Me Talk Pretty. The Young Electric have an album coming out soon on Tragic Hero Records and, after seeing how great they were live, I highly recommend checking it out.