Every now and again, I find an up-and-coming local band that instills a sense of hometown pride and the desire to share them with the rest of the world. Last Friday night marked such an occasion. I had the distinct pleasure of witnessing A Friend Called Fire play live at Lincoln Hall. This show was to commemorate their homecoming as well as the release of their new album, An American Daydream.
For those who have yet to hear of A Friend Called Fire, the band consists of Jon Allegretto (vocals and guitar), Aaron J. (drums) and Powers (bass and backing vocals). They are a local rock trio whose music is heavily influenced by rock and classic metal grooves. Despite being relatively new to the scene, AFCF commands attention while also managing to get the girls in a tizzy. For the most part, that's a recipe for success (especially with their coveted demographic).
ACFC was able to combat less than desirable production issues during their set. Not every band can still win over the crowd while battling sound issues. That alone says a lot about AFCF. At times, the sound issues made Jon's vocals hard to decipher but their loyal following picked up the slack by singing along. The crowd favorites included "An American Daydream," "Dance Again," and a cover of Black Sabbath's "War Pigs."
As only an avid music listener, I find it essential to bring an actual musician with me to either thoroughly heighten or challenge my review of the audio experience. For this show, I was accompanied by a bassist who was blown away by the masterful drumming of Aaron J. I’m rarely at a loss of words but my bassist friend summed it up perfectly when he referred to Aaron J. as, “fucking amazing.” Regardless of physically being located in the background, Aaron J.'s talent made him the front runner of the band.
AFCF won me over and perhaps will join the ranks of other legendary Chicago fires. For more information on ACFC, check them out at http://www.myspace.com/afriendcalledfire or see them perform on August 21st at The House of Blues.
