It’s Halloweekend at Borough’s End, but this time, there’s a twist. Local bands Akrasia and Eclectrick are all spruced up in a punky ensemble to spend the evening covering music from the cult-classic bands Nirvana and Rage Against the Machine.
The sold-out show was filled with incandescent energy emitting from a crowd that appeared as if they wouldn’t want to spend their Saturday night anywhere else.
Kicking off the night was psych-rock outfit Akrasia, consisting of bassist and vocalist Chase Nielson, drummer Owen Sheets, and guitarist Jesse Lonchar. Cloaked in a white sock, Nielson pulled the crowd in with his effortless Kurt Cobain-esque hair toss, while the band performed a setlist of Nirvana covers.
“The depression is there, but with a little less Prozac,” guitarist Lonchar commented as he rocked a “Sleep” band shirt for his Kurt Cobain costume. With an absent guitarist that night, Lochar picked up the role of both rhythm and lead guitar. Combined with Sheets’ crisp percussion, the pair amplified Nielson’s voice with tasteful contrast.
As the lights switched from a warm, colorful medley to a single spotlight, the anticipation of the crowd was tangible, making for a more dramatic intro to each song.
Bringing back 90s nu-metal to cap the night off was Seattle band Eclectrick, covering Rage Against the Machine. Just like the song, the crowd was “Calm Like A Bomb” when Eclectrick took the stage.
The trio had a natural calling to cover Rage. “From the dawn of time, we have been covering their music. Every time we play a Rage song at a house show, the crowd goes nuts.”
They seemed to know the music so well that they could focus solely on putting their energy into engaging the crowd and the style.
Lead vocalist TJ faithfully emulated Zach de la Rocha, down to the characteristic scratch-and-scream style. Guitarist Sky Phoenix as Tom Morello brought a unique and zingy sound to the performance, especially during “Killing in the Name Of.” Phoenix even used the same pick scrape technique that Morello is known for.
The band’s chemistry flourished as they closed with the song “Wake Up.” It was obvious that the set was well-rehearsed and they came to have a good time and get the crowd going.
As the show concluded, Borough’s End organizers assigned the audience a band as well: the Smashing Pumpkins. Members from the mosh were selected to take an old electric guitar and smash pumpkins in the middle of the pit.
By the end of the night, the audience left with ringing ears, headbanger hangovers, and shoes covered in pumpkin guts. It was definitely a show to remember.