Hungover: Wilt CD Release Party at Soundbar - Orlando, FL 3/31/18

Hungover Wilt CD Release Party

Written by Robin Ervolina
Hungover, the Orlando quintet that recently stole my heart, held a CD release party at Soundbar last Saturday night and I made the four hour drive (one way) to celebrate with them. After listening to Wilt for hours on end, nothing was going to stop me from seeing it performed in a live setting. In a word, it and they, were brilliant. If you haven't spun the collection that lit up my world, please check it out. For a short time it's streaming free here. Instalove galore.
The doors at Soundbar opened at 7pm, but Orlando traffic prevented me from making it on time, so I missed first act, Bad Year. I arrived just in time to hear the last bars of their closing song, and tons of fan screaming. I looked into them later and was all the more sorry for missing their set. This "DIY pop punk" outfit from Orlando is now on my list to check out as soon as possible. I suggest you do the same.

Father Mountain

Taking the baton from Bad Year, Father Mountain continued to raise the energy at Soundbar. They have an interesting fusion of pop and alt rock, with some space/atmospheric tones peeping through. Lead singer Zane Martin's voice is likewise a blend of rock and alt, and very reminiscent of some of my favorite singer/songwriters like Chase Huglin or Jason Mraz. The result is captivating, and I'm looking forward to hearing more from them in the future!
Father Mountain slide show

Felicity

You know how you listen to a band and think you have a sense for who they are? You know how it feels to be WAY off? So that's me when Felicity took their turn. I've rarely seen a band so confined by a stage they appear to be on the verge of tearing it up. Lead singer Damien Fasiolino was difficult to photograph as he leaned into the crowd and out of the light for the majority of their set. Bassist Mike Alosa succumbed to the temptation and joined the circle pit mid-song, never missing a note. When Felicity noticed a fan sign in the audience requesting to sing with them, of course the band obliged. I say "of course," because this band has an obvious bond with their fans, and it drives their show. The amount of enthusiasm and energy Felicity brought to Soundbar converted me to fan status.
Felicity slide show

Capstan

[caption id="attachment_38963" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Capstan[/caption]
If there's one word for Orlando's Capstan, it's unbridled, and I seriously was not ready for the chaos they brought. From note one, the crowd pressed against the stage. Fans were singing along, fists in the air, while a mosh pit broke loose toward the center of the room. Forced to take cover, my camera and I stepped off to the side to just enjoy this progressive post hardcore wonder. I'm struck at this point in the night with the realization that Orlando is breeding some amazing bands. The mouse may have swallowed Old Florida, but the rock scene in Central Florida is thriving. There's a reason for the insanity. Check out Capstan now, and make sure you see a show as soon as possible. Their music is infectious.
Capstan slide show

Hungover

It was finally time for Hangover to step under the lights and pick up their instruments. Well, I mean Marc Cortes carries his instrument with him at all times. If you read my review of their CD Wilt, you'll know I locked into Cortes' vocals immediately. He's been compared on many occasion to Patrick Stump, and while those comparisons are valid, it undersells him tremendously. His voice is strong, his range is wide, but his tone and inflection separate him from the likes of Stump or Brandon Urie. He has all the power but he is not an imitator. Or, in the words of my good friend and vocalist for Blessing a Curse, Joshy Singer, who was in attendance for the release, "I really think he's the next Patrick Stump." The key word here is "next." You see, Stump defined a genre with his innovation and creativity. It's within the realm of possibility that Cortes will as well. So of course I wanted to be there for the birth of a new genre.
Hungover walked on stage and the crowd greeted them as old friends. Release parties are often that way, and the demographic of the crowd bore witness to the effect the band has had on family, friends, and music lovers. Aged hands went in the air next to those with black Xs denoting their under age status. Cortes thanked the crowd for coming out, then broke into "Three's Company," the first song on Wilt. Yes, most of us in the front of the house knew every word, even though the CD just came out the day before. Before the second song ended, I was once again compelled to leave the floor and let the fans have their time with their band.

It Only Takes One

It wasn't long into their set that the first body flew up on stage. A young woman in a yellow dress scrambled her way to the front of the three foot platform, and with hands in the air, dove into the crowd. You know that expression "It only takes one?" The rest of the set was marked by stage divers and crowd surfers. Burley men and tiny women, all diving into a crowd of welcoming arms, to be carried over the surface of an audience singing at the top of their lungs. Finally, as Cortes launched the last note of Wilt closing song, "Sleep Alone" he leaned back and fell, letting the crowd take him for a ride.
I heard Cortes say later, "I've never crowd surfed," and I thought that was the perfect way to end the Wilt CD release party. He trusts us with his words, his story, and his back. This is the front man we crave.
Hungover slide show