A concert review of three Cleveland bands
Written & Photographed by Amanda Cook
If you weren’t at the Beachland Tavern on Saturday, Feb. 12, let me set the stage for you. With a capacity of less than 150, you’re in for an intimate show. You’ll be greeted by friendly staff and you can eat some delicious food between sets. The room is dimly lit to let the stage lights shine.
But enough about the venue — let me introduce you to Honeyland, the Cleveland locals who opened the show. Their upbeat tempo and energetic stage presence got the crowd going from the start. The band was formed by Evelyn Lindrose, Andi Chakraborty, Seth Bennett, Alex Scalzo and Ben Bildstein in the summer of 2021. The highlight of their time together so far was one of the first gigs the fall of that same year. Being “one of a million acts on the bill,” Lindrose said, the night brought them closer together than ever before.
The main act of the night, The Namby Pamby, cooled things down with their smooth, melodic tunes. With the stage covered in a soft blue light, it was hard to resist swaying along to the moody music. The three-piece made up of siblings McKenna and Emily Parks and longtime friend Payton Knerr came from Fort Wayne, Indiana to tour their November 2022 debut album, “Marketplace.” Vocalist McKenna has a way of pulling on the audience’s heartstrings with her emotional yet relatable lyrics.
Perhaps the most memorable moment of the night was when she stood alone plucking her guitar while her bandmates took a seat on the stage. While the phrase “namby pamby” means “without strength or courage,” I’d have to say this act represents the contrary with McKenna’s vulnerable lyrics and unique sound.
The show was wrapped up with another Cleveland based act, Honey Pocket (not pictured). Consisting of brothers Alex and Nick Vihtelic, along with their friends Brett Korsok and Harrison Brill, the self-defined “Lake Erie Surf Punk” band brought the energy back up to 11 as they shredded the night away.
By the end of the night, my ears were ringing but I couldn’t complain because the show was so much fun. I’d highly recommend checking out all three acts, especially if you want to get ahead of the bandwagon.