At the Kazem venue in Brentwood last Friday the 21 of July, the stage was set to entertain the locals with a mixture of pop-punk, metal and indie rock bands that did more than raise the tempture of the already heat-waved room.
Panic button, a San Francisco based band, includes the line up of Eric Stief on guitar, keyboards and lead vocals, Brian Kameya on Bass and backing vocals, and Mike Bitting on Drums. These long-time friends have teamed up and are mixing pop-punk into traditional rock back-beats.
Panic Button was ready to wing it without a set list and this seemed to be just what they needed to create good times. Their fun sound with a rock n’ roll twist is edgy yet sweet and with catchy sounds like theirs they are sure to show up in everyone’s ipod’s.
Free stickers were handed out at the merchandise table as a crowd of peeps, friends hanging out and what not stayed for the music. Laughing, Eric states this song “keeps on going” in a way I think few girls wouldn’t hang around and listen for more of his wit.
Brian brought strong bass lines that reminds you of a summer on the beach playing, oh lets say, I don’t know, frisbee. A sweet cord progression and sentiment in his voice Eric drifts into another song as someone shouts out to play “Free-bird.”
The last song was heavier yet they stayed in their pop-punk genre. Kids race in-and-out of the room to the sporadic screaming of Eric and a drawn out intertwine of funky croons helped them go out with a bang.
Likewise was up next after a strange sampling of a sixty-second test that left me wondering what they meant by throwing it on. I think it was mainly to get you prepared for the bands sense of humor and style. It worked. On Guitar and doing Vocals was Joe, Drums and Vocals was Joel and Bass and also again signing his heart out was Tony. Their energy was admittedly felt. They have a total connection to each other and it seems to take them places. Joe started in with a semi-love song, “this songs is for all the ladies,” he said. “I see a guys dancing by themselves, go dance with them,” Joe said.
After a few fast going songs a slower song about “looking out of a hotel room. It had a pool but with no light in it. Oh, but I still went in- I still went in” says Joe.
The room was almost unbearable at this point. Joe asked the Kazem worker “It’s very hot, don’t you have blueberry slushies?”
By the next song everything was slamming, with the bassist Joel, jumping all over rocking out, it was very entertaining.
Not afraid to swim without a life guard, these two bands brought some much needed fun on such a hot evening. Song titles that had the kids spinning around skimming their friends heads, without worry.
It was scorching, in the middle of a heat wave, but the kids still came out, danced and hung around to see these guys playing at their best.
