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The Student News Site of University of Wisconsin-Madison

The Badger Herald

The Student News Site of University of Wisconsin-Madison

The Badger Herald

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Turbo Fruits head up eclectic show

Forming an eclectic trio of sounds, Dakotas and Little Legend opened for Turbo Fruits Sunday night.

When Dakotas started its set, there were fewer than a few dozen people at the High Noon Saloon, many of them members of Little Legend and Turbo Fruits. Dakotas is a four piece group that centers its sound on strong percussion, clean guitar riffs and distorted chords from its rhythm guitar. Especially considering the singer’s vocal style, it is not difficult to compare the band to The Strokes.

Playing generic songs without any substantial enthusiasm, Dakotas failed to engage the crowd. The scattered applause came from other band members and what appeared to be family and friends of the band. Especially considering the band’s faceless musical style, it did not leave much of an impression.

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In many ways, Little Legend was the opposite of Dakotas. For one, the group was far more animated and lively. Between every song, the band members played a guitar lick and shouted “Go Pack Go!” Eventually, the game was put on the screen behind them, and they would turn around between songs to check the status of the game. The band even looked comical on stage, with each member dressed distinctly different and ranging in size and height.

Moreover, Little Legend’s musical style was more diverse than its studio album let on. The band members switched between a few similar genres, going from rock to even folk-sounding numbers during their set. Sometimes the guitarists would produce high, almost screeching guitar riffs in the vein of the Edge from U2. Other times, they stuck to simple indie rock songs with a driving drum part. The variety was almost enough that the set didn’t feel coherent, but the group held it together and provided a sense of cohesion.

Most importantly, the band played with endless energy and enthusiasm. Jumping around the stage during every song, the band’s energy awoke the crowd and brought much of the small audience to its feet. Thanks to the size of the High Noon Saloon, once people stood by the stage, the venue seemed much more alive, even with the small attendance.

Turbo Fruits is certainly not the kind of band one would expect to see at the High Noon, however. The band plays crunchy, riff-driven songs as homage to classic and hard rock of decades past. With long hair, jean jackets and baseball caps casting a shadow over their eyes, the group members looked the part as well.

It was odd to see such a band playing to such a small audience. Turbo Fruits’ sound conjures images of dingy basement shows or packed venues.

Nonetheless, the band put on a show. After starting with “Volcano,” one of the slowest songs in the band’s repertoire, Turbo Fruits moved on to its faster paced, hard-hitting numbers. With little fills and extended solos, Turbo Fruits showed off its musical prowess and showed the audience the extent of its capabilities. The band played some difficult numbers well and with an impressive amount of skill.

All three performances last night had different manners of playing and different levels of success. Musically, their styles were fairly disjointed, and going from one band to the next was not a smooth transition. Yet, with multiple performers and more than three hours of music, Turbo Fruits and company put on an interesting show for those who came out.

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