The Fever Trend

May 5th marked the five year anniversary of one of El Dorado’s top bands. Faux Reality, an indie-rock trio, has done a hefty amount of work since 2007 to bring them where they are now. In commemoration of this event, they brought together fellow musicians and friends to play at the El Dorado Bandshell for an impressive five hour concert. Featured performers were Rylee Dulaney, What Ever Happened, The Fever Trend, Neighborhood Riot, and concluding the show was Faux Reality.

Filling in for what was supposed to be Star Lights Divine was Rylee Dulaney, a solo artist armed with a keyboard and a variety of songs that range from highly depressing to abstractly humorous. Dulaney has always been a performer that shows great potential, with interesting writing when it hits its peak and musicianship that aptly accompanies the prominent themes.

Following Dulaney was What Ever Happened and Neighborhood Riot, two bands that couldn’t contrast each other any more. The duo of William Swan and Schyler Taylor that make up the former have made several appearances in the El Dorado over the past year, playing a handful of The National inspired songs of somber content. Neighborhood Riot, on the other hand, are on the poppier side of the spectrum with their blink-182esque brand of pop-punk. With an energy that is rarely matched in small-town shows, they played a set that matches the demeanor of their music. However, with the genre comes a common stigma of high-power music with little variety, and this was apparent with Neighborhood Riot’s songwriting formula.
Faux Reality putting on an electric performance at the El Dorado bandshell.
Faux Reality putting on an electric performance at the El Dorado bandshell.

As the sun began to set, The Fever Trend took the stage to play their first show in El Dorado since the deflated-balloon of a show that was the Bands for Babies event in March. With a bit more of a boisterous crowd, they played their usual set of eccentric indie-rock with an ever-appreciated injection of kaosillator and a groovy cover of The Black Keys. Easily one of the most entertaining groups to see in the Wichita area, The Fever Trend is a band that always delivers.

When the sun finally retired, Faux Reality took the stage to conclude the evening. With the crowd gathering at the foot of the stage, they began their fifteen song set that included each tune they’ve written since their beginnings in middle school. The timeline of songs took the audience through Faux Reality’s progression from a pop-punk group that prided themselves on their covers of Green Day to the matured group with two EPs under their belt. Ending the evening with a faux-encore of a new song, “I Won’t”, they sent off with a glimpse of the future after playing thirty minutes of music from their past.

It’s difficult to find a substantial show in El Dorado, but with a line-up with more hits than misses, the Five Year Anniversary show lived up to expectations. From the never-faltering Fever Trend to Faux Reality’s time machine of a set, it was a night not to be missed by those who wish to see El Dorado have a worthwhile music scene. - The Examiner

As one of the forerunning candidates for the best indie band to spawn from the Wichita area in the past year, The Fever Trend has impressively made a name for themselves in a short amount of time. Forming in early 2011, the group has swiftly composed a pair of rough cut songs for their upcoming EP arriving before the year concludes. The demo, made up of two tracks recorded toward the end of the summer of 2011, has a definitive indie-pop sheen layered with several influences throughout the genre. With the prominent and slick bass lines and groovy guitar licks paired with mellow drumming, there is a definite air of Minus the Bear and Phoenix within it. Luckily for The Fever Trend, however, they pull from these influences while still remaining entirely unique and entertaining.

“A Quiet Place”, the opener for the demo, immediately introduces the group’s infatuation with synth that remains a cornerstone in the track’s alluring makeup. As opposed to several popular methods of drowning a song in synth and keyboards, The Fever Trend chooses to use it to accentuate the mood of the song, rather than muddy it up. Carlos Malache, on guitar and vocals, draws from the group’s energetic music to tie each song together with a fairly mellow, but still effective, vocal style. “Too Good” opts for a more fast-paced approach with a chorus that’s sure to please a live crowd and a rhythm that allows Jason Snavely to really let loose on the drums.

The only true gripe to be found in the group is something that almost all local bands have trouble with – writing. While it doesn’t completely sink the album (or even come close), the simplistic and sometimes forgettable lyricism of the songs can be a distraction from the fantastic musicianship and pure fun of it all. It is no serious nail in the coffin at this point in their career, but with a bit of polishing in the writing department the group would have significant potential, which should be capitalized upon, not wasted.

For a demo composed of merely two tracks, it certainly says quite a bit about the band. In just under ten minutes they establish their style, their strengths and their weaknesses. With obvious talent in the music department and an ear for what fires up a crowd, The Fever Trend are swiftly developing into one of the prime acts in southeast Kansas. It’s hard not to catch these guys doing their thing live with a fairly steady record of shows within or around the Wichita area with other local talent. For fans of local music in Kansas or for indie-pop/rock fans in general, The Fever Trend are a definite must-hear. - The Examiner