I am going to avoid cliché here. No “incendiary”, no “set the house on fire”, no “burn”, “flame”, or “explosive” to describe The Burning Hotels show the other night at Lola’s. I will focus on two other words.
Control and confidence.
In allegiance with several great bands currently hailing from Panther City, The Burning Hotels are the most ready. They are, in my mind, the closest heir to the Toadies legacy. Not in similar musical styles, but just with unparalleled drive, confidence and their demeanor of control onstage.
What I witnessed from The Burning Hotels at Lola’s Saloon was an incredibly tight, confident band solely in control of their destiny and their crowd. Playing heavily from last year’s self-titled Synaptic album of the year, The Burning Hotels tore through roughly 75 minutes worth of hits, highlighting the entirety of their recorded output. There’s a reason I go on and on about this band. They outdo themselves every time I see them. Add the minimal laser light show to the mix, this certainly didn’t feel like a small club show, but the intimacy and energy did.
Add to the bill the former Black Tie Dynasty/Daryl supergroup Mon Julien and headliners in their own right Ishi and you had a stacked bill from top to bottom. All three acts headliners on their own, bringing the house down for not just a rock show, but what was also upstart Blackbox Music’s coming out party, it was an extraordinary night all around. If this is how Blackbox Music is coming out swinging, we’re all on notice.
You know when the evening breaks down into an impromptu dance party after all festivities were over it was an undeniable success. A Whitney dance party erupted into God knows what, even a little pole dancing on the bar.
Congrats to everyone involved for a triumphant night of local music!
