End of the West

Just one of those Saturdays where you’re recuperating from a long Friday night of RPG games, a morning spent covering a zine fest at a printing museum, an afternoon of hunting for a very specific camera part and an evening drinking cheap Lonestar while listening to local music you somehow never came across before.

That was Mango’s off Westheimer during Oct. 4 when Summer Setback, End of the West and Lion among Men did their respective things.

Suffice to say beer was the only thing you wanted to drink when listening to alternative-sounding rock while a VHS tape of a marine-themed nature documentary projects onto the band and the wall -playing on rewind.

End of the West had a real folkish feel to them, and they weren’t afraid of a little feedback. But the haze from the speakers cut into their vocals a bit. Guitars definitely compensated.

Some people shouted out a few requests to Lion Among Men, something about Donnie Darko, to which the lead singer said it had been too long and too much had happened since then. Other than that, the fact that they played a rather happy tune to the lyrics of “I’m not ok,” with a ukelele, says a little about their sense of humor. That, and chocolate lasagna. Their lead vocalist said he couldn’t remember how many time’s they’d played Mangos, but that it felt like coming home.

Versatility is a prerequisite these days for a live show, and being able to switch vocals from a male to female singer is an excellent way of showing off skills while keeping the crowd alert. Some listeners near the entrance thought an entirely different band had started.

So yeah. The next time AvantGarden is too packed (highly likely considering rumors that the less scrupulous fellows at Kryptonite migrated to that part of Montrose after the bust) pop your head in Mango’s door. You never know. - Free Press Houston