There’s no better way to spend a Friday night than shoulder to shoulder with people dressed in their finest indie sleaze, as warnings from your professor about not wearing ear protection at gigs ring through your head. The night is young, and so, relatively, are you, as you travel back in time to enjoy some 2000’s indie at Mr. Goodbar.

Time to Pretend is the band to seek out if you were struck by the nostalgia bug when watching Saltburn at the end of last year and your playlists have suffered the consequences. The group is extremely talented at emulating the sound of different bands of the aughts, playing hits from The Strokes, Two Door Cinema Club, and Tame Impala. Their talents are also showcased in the downtime between songs, as different members noodled around on songs like “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, or genre flipped entirely. At one point the bass player started to walk us down the street with a jazz tune as the drummer settled into the pocket while the other members got ready for another song.

The group is a must see if you want to dip back into your Tumblr days, and while there aren’t currently any advertisements for upcoming shows, your best bet to catching your favorite blast from the past is to follow their Instagram.

The party continued Sat. Feb 17 in the attic. The opener of the night was The Capitals, a Medina, NY based band that formed in the late 1990’s. This band had an eclectic mix of genres, both originals and covers, juxtaposing in themes between Aretha Franklin’s “Natural Woman”, and a song about having your fun at a brothel.

Driving drums, thumping bass, and a wonderful mix of harmonies can sum up this band’s sound.
The best place to find The Capital’s music and their next whereabouts will be their website.

Following the Capitals was The Moon Hunters, a band that’s been kicking around Western New York for about a decade. The set starts out in the thick of funk, with very complex drums that sit in the pocket in a satisfying groove with the bass and guitar players the whole set. There is no note or rhythm that isn’t hit without purpose. The guitarist is anything but polite with the Wah pedal as he solos throughout the first song.

The band trades off on who sings each song, which is refreshing to see and hear, as well as a testament to all of the member’s individual talents.

While the group mostly sang covers, the band also performed an original piece, an energetic song with a Spanish influence.

From classics like the Beatles and The James Gang to the more contemporary rock legends the White Stripes and the Black Keys, to pop punk favorites Jimmy Eat World and Green Day, this band covers a wide terrain for all music lovers to enjoy.
To keep up with The Moon Hunters, follow them on Facebook or Instagram.