Last night, Good Old War came back to Sozo for the second time this year, and boy what a show it was!

Good Old War, which we have written about previously, headlined the night. The trio could best be described as the sirens from The Odyssey – if the sirens were actually rugged lumberjacks. You could not tell it from their manly appearance, but they have the voices and harmonies of angels. To get away from the man-crush aspect, they play a mix of folk and rock with a combination of acoustics, electrics, and even quirky instruments like an accordion. Of course, they played their popular songs, such as Coney Island, and they played new material as well, in addition to a cover of Simon and Garfunkel’s Cecilia.

At the end of their set, the members of Good Old War came down from the stage and played their final songs in the middle of the audience. They even briefly went into an over-the-top rendition of “How You Remind Me” by everyone’s favorite band Nickelback, much to the laughter and enjoyment of the crowd. Overall, the gentlemen in Good Old War performed an excellent show, which was only strengthened by their supporting acts.

Starting off the night was Matthew and the Judes. These guys play at practically every show in the State College area! As usual, they were at the top of their game, proving yet again that they’re welcome to play in State College anytime.

Click here to read about  Clarity and Audrye Sessions

Next up was Clarity, hailing from Philadelphia. They set up their stage with all sorts of wacky lamps and even an old TV, but sadly, they did not get utilized during the performance. It would have been pretty sweet to see one of them play guitar with a lamp or turn the TV on and watch a staticy version of Spongebob Squarepants, but you can’t have everything in life, right?

They had a ton of energy (despite their tour bus breaking down on the way to the show – ouch) and played an interesting twist on the modern rock sound, utilizing textures with guitars and buildups to add depth. It’s clear that they love what they do. Also, Clarity is looking to change their name within the next couple of months, so shoot them a line if you have any sweet ideas. They might even reward you handsomely!

After clarity was Audrye Sessions. On their Myspace, they describe themselves only as “Indie”, which, as it turns out, is about as accurately as one could describe them. They were a motley crew (figuratively speaking. There was no hair metal last evening), with each band member in different attire, ranging from a Hot Topic shopping spree (bassist) to a Reno 911-inspired moustache (drummer). The lead singer/guitarist admitted to the audience that he is not much of a talker on stage, but once the music started, everyone at Sozo was in awe. It was an intense experience that one truly has to see to imagine. Various tricks were utilized to get unique sounds, such as using a bow on the guitar and the frontman moving his mouth towards and away from the microphone to achieve a sort of Doppler effect. Needless to say, it was a performance to remember. Props to Garrett Bogden for booking yet another stellar show at Sozo. Be sure to check out Ace Enders next Sunday!

Last up was Good Old War, which we have written about previously. The trio could best be described as the sirens from The Odyssey – if the sirens were actually rugged lumberjacks. You could not tell it from their manly appearance, but they have the voices and harmonies of angels. To get away from the man-crush aspect, they play a mix of folk and rock with a combination of acoustics, electrics, and even quirky instruments like an accordion. Of course, they played their popular songs, such as Coney Island, and they played new material as well, in addition to a cover of Simon and Garfunkel’s Cecilia.

At the end of their set, the members of Good Old War came down from the stage and played their final songs in the middle of the audience. They even briefly went into an over-the-top rendition of “How You Remind Me” by everyone’s favorite band Nickelback, much to the laughter and enjoyment of the crowd. Overall, the gentlemen in Good Old War performed an excellent show, which was only strengthened by their supporting acts.