Live Review: Gustaf with Vessel and Philip Frobos at The EARL in Atlanta, 5/18/24

Brooklyn quintet Gustaf is experiencing a return on their investment of hard work and wicked live shows. This is second only to their unique 21st century punk ethos and a frontwoman who brings a prowess and stage presence of a thousand rock stars. Lydia Gammill possesses an urgency and intensity rare these days. She reaches out and pulls you in to her tumultuous inner dialogue and it’s warm in there.

Call Gustaf what you will: art-punk, post-punk, no-wave…there’s no one out there sounding like this. Gammill exudes a Harley-Quinn-meets-Emma-Stone vibe from which you cannot look away. She dominates the stage with her scowl/scream/smile/sing style. Mesmerizing. Guitarist Vram Kherlopian, the lone male in the group and top fashion icon, seemed to be the calming presence in the band – even after breaking a string and momentarily leaving the stage for another guitar. Drummer Melissa Lucciola was a force, steadily keeping the band in line. Her rhythm section partner, bassist Tine Hill, was the heartbeat of the night. Tarra Thiessen rounds out the band as the jack-of-all-trades. Ranging from keyboards to the triangle, Thiessen did it all, most impressively as the bands audio drag queen. For the uninformed, audio drag is, “…an electric pitch-shifting voice filter that deepens a voice into a masculine register,” made mainstream and penned by Laurie Anderson. Masculine, sure…demonic, definitely. Thiessen used the tool to respond to Gammill as well as to throw out her own two cents whenever possible. It provided a dark undertone to some tunes while simultaneously imparting comic relief.

Touring in support of their second album Package Pt. 2, Gustaf is gaining exposure and raising eyebrows. The majority of Package was played to the behest of a room full of fans. Banter, singalongs, and dancing/jumping were all on the menu this evening. Towards the end, a mosh pit formed at the foot of the stage, with Thiessen fervently throwing herself into it. Several more selections from the band’s 2021 debut album Audio Drag For Ego Slobs were performed. A manifestation of pure energy and one helluva payoff.

When the band seemingly closed with “Happy” with a flute-playing Gammill, Kherlopian remained onstage. He collected a set list from the floor and pointed at it, exclaiming, “This predicts the future. This line right here.” he pointed to two unplayed songs below the line, a.k.a. the encore. At that, the crowd erupted and the band returned to play a raucous “Mine” and “Boom Bah.” As Gustaf wraps up their U.S. tour, they’re prepping for the month of August touring in Europe, then they rest. Keep an eye out for them. This is a ferocious live band that you must see in person to believe. For more info, check out their website and the band’s Bandcamp page.

On deck was Atlanta’s own Vessel, a post-punk collective with that rare drummer/lead singer combo in Alex Tuisku. She ran the show and took nary a breath between words and drums. From their Bandcamp page, the foursome is described as, “Building on a rich history of Athens art school punk and the reckless abandon of Atlanta DIY.” A succinct and accurate characterization of the band. If you listen closely, you may have a B-52’s flashback. The band’s debut album Wrapped In Cellophane dropped last month and the EARL crowd heard much of it and more.

Guitarist Keron Robinson helped to narrate this night while providing those post-punky riffs which brings up early 80s nostalgia. Bassist Dan Pulido roamed the stage laying down solid lines, even when he got lost in the set list (“I’m starting this one?”). Isaac Bishop rounded out the quartet on sax, percussion, keys, and backing vocals. These four friends were in the same groove and played like veterans. Check them out on Bandcamp and catch them live when you can.

Opening the evening was musician/author Philip Frobos, who should be no stranger to Atlantans. He’s the singer and bassist for Omni, the Atlanta-based post-punk trio. Frobos was going solo tonight, joined by Rodrigo, who handled all the music from his synthesizer. Frobos released his first novel and debut solo albumVague Enough to Satisfy in 2021. Touted as the soundtrack to the book, the songs take on a more lounge-y sound than the more straightforward rock of Omni. Nevertheless, Frobos exhibits a kitchy stage demeanor one part Nick Winters and two parts Jonathan Richman, but with a style all his own. Decked out like an 80s icon – sunglasses included – Frobos sang through Vague, providing entertaining banter and toasting the crowd.

The set began with Frobos making tea for himself and Rodrigo. Later, he brought two martinis to the stage, with Rodrigo replying, “Delicious.” Check out the album on Bandcamp and the debut novel from Frobos. If you find yourself in the Western U.S. this summer, catch Omni on the road!

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