#Manny the Martyr Farewell Concert Review

[themusicenthusiast]

Saturday, May 13th, 2017 – Cheers!: Manny the Martyr Caps Off a Five Year Run with One Last Epic Party at The Curtain Club

All photos by Jordan Buford Photography This was the night no one wanted to come yet everyone was kind of looking forward to: it was the night that Manny the Martyr would put to rest. Fans and friends were eager to see what the sure to be epic final set would be like, and on top of that there was a sense of excitement about the homecoming of Jake Cravens for the band’s first club show since March, after which he moved to Chicago. That would play somewhat of a significant role in the performance; and further making this one final party was the fact that they enlisted the help of several of their friends to warm up the stage for them. Dear Rachel kicked things of early, the pop/rock outfit being able to squeeze in the majority of the songs from the two-month-old But Really, Only You, kicking things off with the high-energy “Hollywood Called”. It wasn’t long before Alex Casado commented on the significance of the night, saying they hadn’t cared what time slot they got this night, they just wanted to be a part of the bill, thanking Manny the Martyr for making it happen.

They continued tearing through their 29-minute long set; Trey Williams launching them into “Backseat Driver”, Casado noting it would be their next single. Deservedly so, because it, and for that matter, everything in their arsenal, has a mainstream appeal while retaining a freshness about it. “Translate” would conclude their time on stage, and what a striking closer it was. A great song in general, it seemed intensified this night, everything else they had done building up to that moment, allowing it to provide an explosive finish to a dynamite show. And the night was just getting started. The turnaround time between bands was quite quick (then again, with six bands playing, it needed to be), and in no time at all Werewolf Therewolf was ready to go.

No band sounded the same this night, each one bringing a little something different to the table, the Denton-based outfit expanding upon that greatly with their brand of progressive rock with a pop sensibility. It’s something completely unique, ensuring they stand apart from anyone else. But all the same, they’re still a rock band at their core, as the quartet demonstrated this night. There was an undeniable intensity about much of their material, singer and rhythm guitarist Daniel Galvan effortlessly belting out some of the lines when necessary; the vocalist even making a joke or two when he was able. “You guys having a good time?” he asked several songs in, the patrons that where there cheering and applauding. “Good, ‘cause that would be weird if you weren’t,” he commented.

From precise and technical to powerful, raw rock ‘n’ roll, Werewolf Therewolf traversed a wide spectrum, Carlo Decanini, Aaron Caruthers, Cameron Sather, and Galvan holding nothing back. They found their stride early on, but even so and with around thirty minutes to fill, one couldn’t help but think they were still just scratching the surface as the curtain closed on them. All the same, they were crucial to enlivening the atmosphere at the Curtain this night. Given Manny the Martyr’s unique sound, it was fitting that some other reggae-esque band be on the bill, and Burning Slow filled that niche perfectly. Leaning more towards the heavier side of rock, they weren’t without a little reggae and even funk flare to their music; and since Clinton Styles had prior commitments, Brian Scheid of Triple SP was filling in with them, pulling double duty for the night.

He meshed well with them, and thanks to the confidence they all exuded, those who didn’t know better wouldn’t have had a clue that wasn’t the official Burning Slow lineup. They weren’t too far into their 27-minute long set before some fans started shouting for “Justice”, Matt Brodeur promising they were getting there, what has become their signature song eventually finishing off their time on stage, fanfare from the ever increasing number of patrons seeing them out. Triple SP had the stage next, Scheid seemingly ready for more, especially since that now entailed songs he had helped write. Only about a month out from a little West Coast tour, they would prove to be a completely different Triple SP from when I had last caught them, and with that being about two years ago, that had been too long.

Their 38-minute long set was comprised of plenty of classics of theirs, such as the opener, “Alone”, which acted as a call to everyone in Curtain Club to congregate around the stage; singer and guitarist Derek Procter cutting loose during that one, taking a few steps back form the microphone and wailing on his axe. Almost immediately they revealed themselves to be a cut above, their time on the road, being able to play a series of consecutive shows and deepen their chemistry, having incredible results. “Closure” was one that exemplified that bond, from the rhythm centric intro to the blazing riffs, lead guitarist Brad Mccain putting on a clinic at times and often mingled and jammed with Procter and Scheid. “How you doing?!” the bassist asked during one of the instrumental stretches, going the extra mile to get everyone pumped up, the crowd responding with plenty of shouts.

“I Want it All” was one of those numbers that saw a phenomenal duel (and dueling) guitar solo; while “Drugs” further intensified the rhythm section, Jacob Bobo hammering out the beats with a fury, as he and Scheid demonstrated what a dominant force they are. They breezed through their set, or at least they made it feel as if they had, continuously growing more compelling, until everyone was eventually left wishing they had more time to work with to squeeze in a few more numbers. Triple SP helped bring things to the next level, truly helping build the excitement of the night. The musicianship they displayed was staggering, and they were so impeccably tight that most acts would be envious of such chemistry.

A noteworthy band of D-FW for a while now, they were a whole other kind of impressive this night, the touring shape they’ve gotten in elevating them to something grand. Despite having heard the bulk of the songs they played a few times over, they all sounded fresh this night, a little more kick added to them. In turn, that made it all feel almost new. They tore it up, fiercely rocking the stage and easily proving themselves to be one of the most notable bands here in the music scene. The main support slot went to Innrcor, who whipped everyone into shape with some straight up, slightly heavy rock ‘n’ roll. Their set wasn’t without some slight hiccups, some guitar trouble occasionally plaguing them, though the other three members marched on with what they were playing, making the best of it, which is the only thing that can be done in a situation like that.

By the time they finished it was pushing midnight, and the main act was yet to come. This wasn’t the sold-out event everyone had anticipated. In fact, more people turned out to see Manny the Martyr back in March than they did at this final show. Somewhat surprising, though that was their loss; and even then, upwards of a couple hundred people were in attendance on this Saturday night to help them wrap up their five year run. A little sadness still hung in the air, but for the most part everyone was ecstatic about seeing Manny the Martyr again; the band members earning a laugh every now and then when they would suddenly poke their head out from between the curtain, surveying everyone before disappearing again. It was 12:22 when they got their 90-minute long set going, kicking it off with a moody jam, the curtain remaining closed for a time as they built up the suspense before launching in to their first song. It was a night in which they tried to hit as many highlights as they could, touching on all of their albums and many of the covers that had become standards.

Their first two cuts came in rapid succession, Jake Cravens having just enough time between them to comment, “I have never felt so much love in life!” He was beaming as he said, and he and his band mates aimed to return that love with the best possible show they could deliver, promptly ripping into the funky fresh “Play The Part”. They stayed on their Bail Me Out EP, doing a song that has always been a fan favorite, though one Cravens was always reluctant to play, as it could be a bit strenuous on his voice. To help with the screams featured in that song they enlisted the help of Adakain’s Ryan Ray, the frontman having some kind words to say about Manny the Martyr before helping them pull off an unforgettable rendition of “Sink Or Swim”, the two vocalists commanding the stage and working together in perfect harmony. “It’s something special…” Cravens remarked as they hit their first break of the night, the singer, still overcome with emotions, talking on how amazing it was to leave his hometown and come back to a reception like this.

As they continued on, they even did a few new songs from the Full Range EP they were releasing this night, one’s they hadn’t played before, at least letting their die-hard fans know how they would sound live. One of those was “Ad Nauseum”, which stood out as one of their most creative pieces of work. The mix of funk, reggae and rock was even more intriguing than usual, the chords being mesmerizing, Mike Ubben and Brad Green being methodical and intense in their playing. It was one they had been sitting on for a while, hearing it being well worth the wait, even it was the first and only time. Everyone knew what was coming after being asked, “Where are my weed smokers at?” cheering in response. It was with “Boogyman”, an absolute classic of MTM’s, that they really hit their stride, settling into a whole new level of comfort and confidence for the night, performing it seeming more like a reflex. Jason Stark was in the zone, the bassist strolling around the stage, kicking the air every now and again throughout the night. However, the most memorable moment of that song came when Cravens welcomed a young kid up on the stage, allowing him to sing some of the lines. “…I got usurped!” he quipped, saying he felt confident they had just found his replacement.

They followed it up with the subsequent track from Brighter Sun, Cravens mentioning, just in case no one knew, that his brother had passed away while he was serving his country a few years ago. Hence why “Too Soon” was never played too often, it was often an emotionally exhausting one that, understandably, brought up strong feelings, though it was one they felt needed to be a part of their final show. He was up front in stating he didn’t think he would be able to get through it, asking for help from those who knew it, who were happy to chime in when necessary. Even at the end of the night the emotions weren’t as high as they were during the performance of that song, Cravens noting afterwards that there was something about the fact that he knew he’d never play that song again that made it even more difficult. Still, I think everyone would agree he kept his composure a lot better than most could. “Anteman” was another from the last batch of songs they released, and while it had been heard at their final few shows, they had apparently been holding back on the full version, specifically the guitar solo that Green ripped into. It was said to be his first live solo ever and he slayed it, catching everyone off guard as he laid into his axe.

A chance to catch their breath followed, the band’s plaque they had earned a few years prior being brought up on stage to them, Cravens saying he grew up coming here, mentioning bands like Drowning Pool and SouthFM who had earned their rightful place as icons of the music scene, seeing their plaques and making it a personal goal to get one of his own. It represented an older era of MTM, a couple bass players ago, and Cravens sounded excited talking about what he planned on doing do it, like making a few adjustments before hanging it on his wall. Dedicated to their longtime fans, “It's Alright” ended with a joke that only those who had been with them since the very beginning would get. The closing “And that’s okay” became, “Dad, I’m gay,” Cravens adding the context afterwards, recalling a show at House of Blues where, after a few drinks, he just thought that would be a funny addition to the song, and felt it only fitting he repeat the move for its final performance. “Cereal Killer” would be one of the final originals they would do this night, the remainder of their set being mostly covers, such as their delightful rendition of “No Diggity” that had the whole place moving. They had another one at the ready, however, after being put up to a vote, an original won out, leading them to busting out “Brighter Sun”, a little extra funk flare added to the breakdown.

Thus far, Joel Simka had been drumming like a champ, even going above and beyond what’s normal for him, and that was made exceptionally impressive due to the fact that he had thrown his back out just a couple days before the show. “…He’s in extreme pain right now,” Cravens pointed out, asking everyone give Simka a hand. Last time they were here they celebrated 311 day slightly early, playing a couple 311 songs to commemorate it, and now, they gave those who missed it a taste of what it was like. “Beautiful Disaster” had everyone raving, but before going any further, much to Cravens surprise, his dad actually got on stage with them. He had another cover in mind, trying to coax his son into playing the first song he taught him, while stressing to everyone that it had taken thirty years to get Jake to the point he’s at now, all thanks to his training and watchful eye. “I have video of him on the back porch in diapers singing this song,” he informed the audience while still prodding his son to sing “Itsy Bitsy Spider”. He wouldn’t, though his band mates and everyone else in the club had no problem with it, adding the nursery rhyme to the set list.

That drew some laughs, though there were also some tender moments shared by the father and son. And before he left the stage, he had something important to say. “Son, I’m gay, too,” he finished, the room erupting into laughter, that being the last thing anyone would have expected to hear, but oh, it made the night. The quintet got back to it with “Creatures (For A While)”, and with two-o’clock fast approaching, it was nearly time to end it. Not even because they wanted to, as it looked like they could have played another hour, but because they just had no more time to work with. Because of that, they said their cover of “Stand by Me” would be it, and that could have been a fitting end. Like most of the other songs they’ve tried their hand at over the years, that one is unexpected but they make it sound stupendous. As had become customary, Cravens got out among the people during it, making it into a sing along as the audience clustered around him, making the most of the final few moments they had with Manny the Martyr. As fitting an end as that may have been, it just didn’t feel right, and no sooner had they finished it and they fired up one more song. The last song, and one of the first ones they wrote after starting the group. Cravens would joke this night that it was his band mates fault he got tied up in all of this, answering a Craigslist post about needing a singer, first being told it was going to be more of a covers gig, and then they decided to get into the original music game, becoming a part of the club scene. Not that he would have wanted it any other way.

Just like so many times before, the action-packed “Hit the Brink” saw them out, leading to an electrifying finish not just to the night, but the career. Ubben, Cravens, Simka, Stark, and Green stood arms around one another, taking that final bow on a stage that had been their home more than any other venue; Cravens delivering a eulogy of sorts, choking up as he spoke of how much this experience had meant to him. How grateful he was the to the guys standing beside him and how much he appreciated everyone that had supported them. “…The last five years have been a blast because of you!” he said shortly before the curtain closed on them. It was sad, to an extent, though this was a perfect final show. It was a celebration of what Manny the Martyr was, being incredibly fun right up until the very end, capturing the essence of what they were about. That’s one of the things that will be missed most about them, the sheer enjoyment they got out of performing. It’s a rare treat to see a group of musicians have the amount of fun they packed into every show, which made it even easier for the onlookers to get pulled in. On top of that, there’s the fact that they stood out from every other band in the scene. There’s plenty of rock outfits and metal bands, and indie acts are still in abundance, too. But bands like MTM, ones that mix rock, funk, reggae and even a little ska, those are virtually nonexistent. That’s not a slight against all the other styles, but Manny the Martyr offered something refreshing. It was unique, even among the bands they molded themselves after, and that diversity they brought to the scene will be sorely missed as well. I know that was what drew me to them a few years back when I stumbled upon them here at the Curtain Club. I don’t recall who I was there to see that night, but Manny the Martyr certainly made a lasting impression. Five years may not seem like long, but a plethora of great memories were made in that time. Thanks to the five of them for making that possible by sharing their talents with others and best of luck to them in any and all future endeavors.