SPEAK for a year: September

There comes a time when you realize that the band that holds a special place in your heart, whom from the first moment you watched them live, you thought, "man, this band has something special," is entering into the "real world." It's like watching a child you saw grow up in front of your eyes, walking down the stage to receive their high school diploma and realizing they're adults now.

Because if someone told me in December as I was watching SPEAK for the first time that nine months later, I would witness drunk dude-bros not only badly dancing to pretty boy pop music but also high-fiving each other because they are just so moved by the awesomeness that is SPEAK, I would have asked what crazy futuristic world do they live in? It was that mind-blowing moment on Friday night that I realized things are never going to be the same with this band.

Don't get me wrong. I'm completely happy for the guys. I'm excited to see how they'll take in what's about to happen to them and that people will love them as much I do. They are no longer going to be that little local band Sarah keeps talking about anymore because everyone is going to be talking about them real soon. Seriously.

But enough with all this sentimental crap, on to the review.

The sound at Beauty Bar was loud. I keep forgetting my ear plugs which is a big no no in my profession so I had to suffer through sharp pains in my ears every time Troupe sang a high note. I stood by a speaker for a bit to take photos of the band, (Don't worry guys, I didn't stay there for long.) but it was the first show where I could seriously hear everything, each individual vocal included.

After the show, Joey asked me if we could hear them because he couldn't hear himself at all so he was worried about his harmonies. That explained why there were few moments when the vocals did clash but it was only for a few seconds. And the only reason why I noticed is well... like I need to explain that one.

They played two new songs this month which really excited me. While I love the four songs on the EP and I've now learned the lyrics to the unrecorded songs they play at every show, it's refreshing to get something new since I'm doing this project for a year. I didn't catch the titles but I remember liking them both, especially the one that sounded like it was written during a time warp into the 80s, but it wasn't hokey and thank god, without the Flock of Seagulls haircuts.

So after they played their "hits" and everyone was having a great time, they ended the set with a new cover, Prince's "Purple Rain." That song plus the heat and the dimly lit room made the crowd get a little freaky. It was like witnessing a rated R version of a high school prom, or as my friend said, hipster Dirty Dancing. And Troupe's crooning voice and Nick whailing on the guitar just added to it. Nick did such a good job that I almost asked him to be my boyfriend. Of course, I didn't. I'm a journalist and have to be fair and balanced. Just like Fox News.

The best part of that cover? It was almost dedicated to me. No, really. After the show, Troupe told me that he was going to dedicated it to me but for some reason he didn't. But he said he did in his mind and that's ok with me. I know it's pretty douchebaggery of me to even mention that here but I want to have this documented to prove that I did know them when they're touring all over the place and people are telling me "Hey Sarah, have you heard of this band SPEAK?" Why, yes I have.