Getting Loud with Native Sun

^{Article by Lauren Travers}

Doors open Saturday night at 8pm at The Hideout, but the room is buzzing long before anyone jumps on stage. By 8:30, most of the guitars have been tuned, and sound check is coming to an end as CreatureFight barrels on stage, hollering for their drummer and the crowd to exit the bar and enjoy the show. CreatureFight, an emerging Chicago-based band, skipped past the typical long introductions and dove right into their set, ramping up the energy and turning up the heat, as bodies packed in the tight venue. CreatureFight perfected the garage-rock sound in their short set, their music raw and loud in the best way and their chemistry on stage was undeniable. 

Following soon after is Laney Jones and The Spirits, fresh from Tennessee, as they make their way across the U.S. as supporting acts. As they saunter onstage, Laney Jones utters into the mic, “Rock & Roll, yeah. This is pure Rock & Roll,” and her short performance is just that.  She is the epitome of a rockstar and the crowd can’t keep their eyes away. She plays her singles “Long Way” and “Waiting on You” and gives the performance everything she has, losing herself in her guitar, hair whipping with every movement she makes. 

Native Sun emerged not long after, the embodiment of punk rockers, hailing from New York City, they swagger on stage with leather jackets, Billy Idol-esque bleached hair and sunglasses at night. No introduction is needed, everyone can tell who they are as lead singer, Danny Gomez, releases a guttural scream into the mic and pure noise reverberates through everyone’s bones. You’d expect Gomez to have some vocal fry, after the impressive and piercing scream, but as he launched into the song, his voice was smooth like suede on skin. Nico Espinosa (Drums), Justin Barry (Bass) and Jack Hiltabidle (Lead Guitar) join in soon after, and flood the room with music too loud to think over. The room was thick with sweat and vodka, and the crowd couldn't help but revel in it, losing themselves in the music as the band did, with flailing limbs all about. Five songs into the set they introduce their latest single, “Too Late”, and the energy of the room hits its crescendo.  It's almost like a religious experience, akin to witnessing an exorcism on stage, Gomez thrashing around, ripping off his shirt, and screaming out to an audience that can do nothing but soak him in. The highlight of the performance, however, was a perfectly executed rendition of “Happy Birthday” on electric guitar, and chanted by the crowd, to a friend “Clare” lost within the audience. 

As the end of the last song rang out into the crowd, Gomez, at no more than a whisper, breathlessly uttered “Bye-Bye, Bye-Bye” tauntingly. The performance was over before it really had time to begin, and the crowd was left wanting for more. Chants rang out for an encore in vain, pleading out for more that would never come.