Live Music Review //
Savak / Upper Wilds / Milliseconds
October 20th, 2023
at Oh Momma, Middletown CT
Additional photos can be found in an album on Facebook here :::
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1345153182881566&type=3
I'm not always up for going to the same place two nights in a row and this was also my third show in a row, so to come back to Oh Momma on this Friday after being there the night before meant that both of these back-to-back shows were that special. And they really were. Mr Fang and the Dark Tones / The Slick Tones the night before was one of the most Halloween-themed shows in this state and month. Now, we switch gears a little bit, but this is just one of those rock shows that is so rare these days but still so great.
When I first saw online, in the schedule, that Savak would be coming to Middletown I knew I had to be there. Savak is someone I've been receiving emails about for years now, so knowing I'd have that chance to see them live and so close it just made sense to go. But on top of that, I come to find out that Upper Wilds and Milliseconds are opening up this show. I was expecting two local openers, which would've been great, but three touring bands playing together and all special in their own ways this was just the can't miss rock show of the year.
Milliseconds is a trio and two of them are from The Dismemberment Plan. As someone who frequently went to places like The El N Gee Club in New London to see The Dismemberment Plan play with The Damn Personals and The Cancer Conspiracy, right away this was bringing me the nostalgia. Milliseconds as a band now has a unique sound because it's not quite rock n roll and it's not quite punk, but it's somewhere in between those genres.
Listening to Milliseconds takes me back to that first "Five Years on the Street" compilation from Vagrant Records. It's No Motiv / Ten Foot Pole (and how I think they're related) and just other sounds which cannot be named. It's not quite post hardcore or anything post, as it has more of a clean punk sound, but that also reminds me of both 22 Jacks and Wax at the same time as well. It's just fun listening to it though and it shines through because it doesn't have any real point of comparison in terms of other sounds.
Upper Wilds was on second and not only are they one of my favorite bands they are also one of the best bands out there right now as well as having one of the best albums out this year as well. The thing I really enjoy about Upper Wilds is how loud their sound can be and how distorted it is, yet it still feels so technical and the three musicians play together as one. It really just feels commanding and modern artists don't sound like this but they should.
Case in point, as Upper Wilds was playing there was more than one instance where someone had been walking by, stopped when they heard the music and then even came inside. It's easy enough for me to talk about this sound being attractive because I'm already at the show, but the way that it was literally drawing in people just goes to show you how powerful this rock truly is. And, for me, it has also become quite addictive.
Savak took the headlining spot and while trios played before them they are four musicians with the two guitar players both singing. Just because I can, I looked up when Savak appeared in my inbox and I've been getting emails about them since 2016, so that's quite a bit of time to have this band in your head and really not just know they exist but listen to their music and enjoy it. So seeing them live just really was so special to me after all this time.
Everyone took to the stage with a lot of energy and it was just an overall loud rock show. No one really sounded like each other, but they're also all just in a class all their own, which in many ways is what they have in common. This was just such an overall amazing group of three bands to play one show in Middletown CT and it's something I'll always remember. It's a show that I'll be talking about for years to come and am just so happy that it was something I could experience.
Milliseconds can be found on Bandcamp here :::
https://milliseconds-band.bandcamp.com/album/so-this-is-how-it-happens
Upper Wilds can be found on Bandcamp here :::
https://upperwilds.bandcamp.com/
Savak can be found on Bandcamp here :::
Oh Momma can be found on the web here :::
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