In every Disney Channel original movie set around Halloween, there is a scene with a costume party in a haunted forest, and a band destroying guitars on stage while blowing out speakers and eardrums.
Friday’s Graveyard Smash, presented by WSBF-FM, was about as close to that scene as a local show full of college kids could get.
Every element of a college Halloween concert was present in abundance: plenty of costumes, people shouting conversation over the music and a wall of sound louder than what downtown residents probably would prefer.
Along with this tricksy haunted affair came a treat; the sweet taste of charity. As each band member came on and off stage, they promoted not only their own merchandise but also a collection fund for Hurricane Helene relief.
The first band up was Antifact, a local hardcore group. They’re fairly new but don’t come off as shy to be onstage. Even as Jaycee Park was still filling with music fans, big energy and pummeling sound pounded through the speakers, prompting passersby to stop and take a peek at what all that noise was.
Antifact played a combination of covers and originals, including a hard-edged, crowd-pleasing take on The Cure’s “Just Like Heaven.” The vocals were heavy and impactful, while the guitar and bass were loud and distorted. Antifact played for a quick but forceful 30 minutes.
After a short intermission, Serial Baby took the stage. The Knoxville-based emo group seemed to thrive on feedback of two kinds. Firstly, there was the feedback from the crowd. Serial Baby paid close attention to how people were responding to them and did their best to keep the crowd involved in the set. Secondly, there was the musical feedback that played through the monitors back into the microphone.
Serial Baby used feedback as an instrument, complementing their shouted vocals and filtered guitars. The audience seemingly got what they came to see, as the crowd was enthusiastic and responsive to the 40-minute performance.
Last up was Abrevity, who brought more of a pop-punk sound to the stage. Their sound was much clearer than the other bands, with sharp vocal punches and hard rock influences that made for a fantastic finale. The mosh pit was at its most ferocious during their set, and it was easy to see why.
The group put on a killer show and made sure to keep the energy as high as it had been all night. WSBF continues to put on exemplary shows for niche markets as they grow their events catalog. Be sure to check in next month to see what they decide to cook up.
