With downcast glances and serious pouts of quintessential indie and punk artists, members of Chicago band Daundry delivered an upbeat and hard-hitting performance at Cobra Lounge Thursday night.
About 40 audience members bobbed their heads to songs on the setlist, which mostly consisted of tracks from Daundry’s forthcoming album: “Pria.”
The small standing-room-only venue created an intimate atmosphere, and Daundry embraced the personal mood.
Many of Daundry’s songs began with intricate bass and guitar, with drums building into the choruses. Instrumentals drove the tracks’ fast-paced tempos — rather than the band’s singing.
The drumming was impressively fast and passionate, with drummer Sebastian Jones’ silver necklace flailing off his chest due to the intense physicality of his playing.
Bassist Katrina Hildebrandt experimented with feedback while performing “Testicular Torsion,” a song written for the band’s upcoming album. She held her light-up, pink toy microphone near her bass to create a unique sound fitting for an indie punk band.
The music was loud enough to feel. Each song captured the passion, angst and coolness associated with grunge and shoegaze music.
It was disappointing that the sound imbalance in Cobra Lounge left audience members virtually unable to hear Ian Kloehn’s singing over the guitar, bass and drums. From the few vocal lines listeners were able to make out, Kloehn’s nice voice shone through, and it was clear the melodies complemented the music. But, even when Jones screamed into his mic during the fourth song of the night, audience members were unable to hear his distinct words.
Most of the songs on Daundry’s setlist sounded similar to one another, with the only clear shift being a cover of “Wicked Game” by Chris Isaak. The band retained its post-punk sound while covering such a sad and slow song, making for a dynamic and attention-grabbing performance.
The song showcased a pretty falsetto from Kloehn — a sound that Daundry should lean into in the future.
It was obvious that Daundry was well-rehearsed but laid-back. The three bandmates decided what two songs to close the show with on the spot after asking for a time check from the booth.
Daundry’s relaxed energy was a constant as the musicians chatted with one another between songs.
The band kept it real and did not shy away from telling the audience what was going on onstage.
“Thought I was going to burp,” Kloehn said into the mic before starting to play.
Much like their music, Daundry’s concert maintains an air of unbothered confidence that is sure to intrigue future concertgoers.
Daundry is set to release “Pria” on Feb. 29. Indie and punk fans will appreciate the hurried tempos and passionate playing the album offers.
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Twitter: @madelineking_18
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