Cymbals Eat Guitars Live Review & Photos | Will’s Pub, Orlando, FL | September 21, 2016

by Paulina Praphanchith • October 25, 2016

The name Cymbals Eat Guitars is derived from a Lou Reed quote describing the sound of The Velvet Underground. The band that has played Orlando fifteen times made their way back to Will’s for a sixteenth run this September. Fortunately, it was only the beginning for me, as it was my very first time seeing Cymbals Eat Guitars live.

Field Fires, an electronic duo based right here in Florida, set the tone for the night with some lush and atmospheric tunes, including a soothing synth-based cover of Drake’s “Hold On, We’re Going Home.” The digital audio workstation that the group used was connected to an arrangement of lights that twinkled when they were touched and added to the relaxed tone of the show.

Before the main act, Wildhoney, a band from Maryland, took the stage and shifted the chill vibes into a psychedelic live set with kaleidoscopic colors and delicate vocals by lead singer Lauren Shusterich. A blend of Best Coast’s sound and Tame Impala’s visuals would probably be the best way to illustrate their performance.

Pretty Years, the title of Cymbals Eat Guitars’ most recent album was released a few days before the show, so I knew that I was catching them at a perfect time. The band played a few songs from the new album, including “Finally,” the vivacious opening song from the record and my personal favorite. As if the album version didn’t have enough of an emphasis on guitar and drums, the live rendition of it sounded fuller and more satisfying to listen to. Along with new songs, Cymbals Eat Guitars played some oldies, like “Chambers,” one of the breezier sounding songs from the group with higher pitched vocals and a few faint “ooohs” every here and there. It is evident that music such as this can ignite passion in people, especially when played live. Maybe down the road they will change up their sound, if they do, they might want to check out https://guitorplanet.com for guitar reviews and assistance, who knows what their next album will be like!

Song after song after song was the pattern of the show, with little to no dialogue or interruptions. It’s apparent that Cymbals Eat Guitars are one of the bands that are all about the music, and this was a piece of their performance that I genuinely appreciated.

Passionate would be the one word that I’d use to describe Cymbals Eat Guitars’ performance as a whole. It’s easily recognizable not only through each bandmate, but also through the production of their music.