Punk Band Zeta and Friends Destroyed Faces at The Lyric

If you weren’t at the Lyric on Friday, March 18, I feel bad for you, son; I got 99 problems but boredom ain’t one because the Lyric literally has something going on every day of the week.  This particular day of the week was especially enticing if you missed it because the headliner was Venezuela’s very own experimental punk band Zeta, (now based in the US.)  If you haven’t heard of these guys yet, do yourself a favor and drop everything you’re doing right now so you can get well acquainted; they’re currently out on the road for their headlining US tour, “El Tour Del Tiempo”, from February through April, so if you didn’t catch them in Fort Collins, you can still always quit your job and take an extended road trip!  I know gas is outrageous right now but trust me…you won’t regret it.

Their new album “Todo Bailarlo” is set to release on April 22 and was recorded in collaboration with The Abajo Cadenas Orchestra.  Zeta is a perfect blend of world music, psychedelic sounds, and raw punk energy.  Even with lyrics in Spanish, without speaking a word of Spanish yourself, you’re somehow still right there with them in their explosive emotions and powerful performance; everything is somehow communicated clearly just through the music alone.  Their current lineup consists of front man Juan Ricardo Yilo (aka Juan Chi), Dani Debuto, Chino Sandoval, Tony Pereira, Claudio Ortiz, Liza Ortiz, Alex Musanostra & Yare The Devil. I strongly encourage you to follow them on Facebook and/or Instagram and check out the rest of their tour dates.

But I’m getting a bit ahead of myself because Zeta was far from alone that night; local Fort Collins favorites Plasma Canvas opened the show and damn near stole it, as well.  Described best as a two-piece Sparkly-Andro-Thunder-Punk band, these chicks can rock! Guitarist/vocalist Adrienne Rae-Ash, accompanied by drummer Jude McCarron, are pretty much straight pros at grabbing your attention and never letting go, with visceral screams and primal emotion, all backed by heartfelt and progressive lyrics that stay with you long after the amps are silenced.  Adrienne has tremendous stage presence, with a healthy dash of humor here and there between songs, but together they both create an aesthetic unlike anything I’ve seen since maybe the early days of the White Stripes, the only difference being Plasma Canvas’ music has undeniable teeth and inspiring originality…and their music is quite frankly just all-around better.  You can follow them on Facebook and check them out on Bandcamp, as well.

I don’t want to say I’ve saved the best for last, but for me personally…I sort of did.  Touring right alongside Zeta (at least for a portion of the trip) is Atlanta-based instrumental band CHEW and within only a couple of songs into their middling set, this band quickly climbed the ladder of my newest favorite bands.  This 3-piece ensemble is a little bit psychedelic electronica and a little bit post-rock with a monstrously heavy rhythm section and sample-based analog leads.  The lineup consists of Brett Reagan on guitar/electronics, Snare-uh Wilson on drums, and a revolving cast of Atlanta’s finest bassists.  They’re currently wrapping up the end of their US tour before heading to Europe at the end of March, so I highly advise you to get to know them well before they’re the biggest band in the world!  Be sure to follow them on Facebook and/or Instagram.

And as always, be sure to stay up to date with the Lyric’s calendar, so you don’t go and make another mistake by missing yet another amazing show!!!