Rebecca Weis
CONTRIBUTOR
The cast of One Tree Hill once said, “Walk into any club tonight and just look at the kids. Look into their eyes. I mean they’re all looking for something to believe in, and I think that music can be the thing to change the world.”
This was true if you walked into the Waiting Room Lounge on Tuesday night. The Waiting Room is known for hosting amazing local and far away bands. They did not disappoint, on Tuesday night when the band “Shortly” performed at the Waiting Room.
The band, from Detroit, Michigan, formed a little over two years ago. “Shortly” consists of drummer, Kris Herrmann; two guitarists, Luke Dean and Austin Stawowczyk; and a lead singer, Alex Maniak. What’s amazing is that these musicians are no more than 25-years-old.
They play with more passion and more love for music than I have ever seen before. I would describe “Shortly” as pop rock genre. I felt as though at some points the instruments did overpower the vocals and it was hard to understand what they were saying. However, when you hear the harmonies this band produces not just with their instruments, but with their vocals it shows just how talented these musicians are.
I felt as though their music resonated with the audience. The majority of the audience were in their early 20’s and early 30’s. Alex’s voice was very beautiful and soft, it really made the rock sound of the band different from other bands. “Shortly” was very calm when performing they didn’t dance or move around a lot. They let the music speak for themselves.
The audience was not very rowdy as well. They didn’t really dance, they just stood there and appreciated the music that was in front of them. The environment at the Waiting Room was relaxing and open, matching the atmosphere they provided for their musicians.
There aren’t a lot of live bands anymore in today’s society. It was refreshing to see a talented live band. I was amazed at how young these musicians are and the fact that they’re chasing their dreams.
“Shortly” has released two albums with in their first year as a band. Overall, I felt “Shortly’s” performance could have been longer, but they did a fantastic job.
The music was well written, well performed, and very well put together. “Shortly” is on tour with two other bands right now “Mom Jeans” and “Were just Friends.”
“Shortly” has been on tour for the past month and will continue to travel throughout the Midwest until they make their way back to the East Coast. You can stream their music on Spotify, YouTube or buy their CD’s in stores near you.
