In Your Memory at Baltimore Soundstage[/caption]Written and photographed by Robin Ervolina for Shockwave Magazine
One of THE BEST things about my job is discovering new music. One of my favorite avenues for that perk is a live performance by the opening act(s). Even though I flew up to Baltimore to cover Being As An Ocean, I was first treated to my first performance by the Washington DC band In Your Memory. This five-piece, self-described "sloppy vicious rock band" formed in 2012, tweaked and solidified their lineup, and went full steam ahead into touring and cultivating fans in the tri-state area and beyond. On his relationship with the Baltimore music scene, lead vocalist Omar Veras had this to say:
We are from the DC area and luckily have had the great fortune of building an amazing follower base here, but it was Baltimore who groomed us for it all. When we first started playing live, many venues/promoters took a chance with us. This helped us build the confidence needed to become the band that we are today in my opinion.From the outside looking in, it wasn't hard to see the history and bond between Baltimore and IYM. The crowd received them enthusiastically, and the energy exuding from the stage was not harnessed in the least. The music moves through them, but isn't contained by them, surging through their instruments and electrifying everyone in attendance. I shot my three from the pit and got out, made my way to the back, and observed. The audience was a mixture of head banging, body slamming, and dancing, with the best of the dancers being Veras' young daughter near the soundboard.
The music of In Your Memory feels boundless. Post hardcore. Sloppy vicious. I don't know. I sense a freedom to create whatever genre, mood, or moment they desire. Take for example their latest release, After Dark Sessions (streaming now at bandcamp). Described as "an Indie/Folksy rendition of what post hardcore feels like to IYM," it is a glorious acoustic masterpiece of message and emotion. I hate to make the comparison to other bands, but listening to After Dark Sessions raises the hair on the back of my neck in the same way Sevendust's Time Travelers & Bonfires did the first time I heard it. To see them live, full of energy and reckless delivery, makes me appreciate, all the more, the calculated restraint in Veras' delivery on this, their newest EP. I'm also aware that I'll be making more trips to the tri-state because as they've done for years, In Your Memory has gained a new fan.
You can follow them on their official In Your Memory Facebook page and learn more about them at iymoffical.com. Their newest release After Dark Sessions is also available on iTunes.
In Your Memory is:
Omar Veras - Vocals
Alex Scott - Guitar
Casey Reid - Guitar
Troy Humphrey - Bass
Jonathan Shephard - Drums
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