Three Bands Jam At Best Video

Sunday night is not typically known for being festive, unless you are part of the local music scene. This Sunday at Best Video, three bands — New Haven’s own Big Iron and Them Airs, along with Bruiser and Bicycle from Albany — jammed out and turned the night into something reviving.

As The Exorcist 3 completed its run on the big screen behind the stage, attendees began to slowly fill the room, which had only a few seats in it to accommodate more a of a standing room type of show. The film changed to David Cronenberg’s Scanners as Big Iron began their set. 

The four-piece band — Jake Fucci on lead guitar, Austin Traver on bass, Brian O’Meara on vocals and guitar, and John Zaccharia on drums — played a large portion of the set in an almost circular fashion, facing each other and in conversation with one another musically. A heavy dose of prog rock righteousness, peppered with a punk sensibility, took these four through a five-song set that saw the audience nodding along throughout. O’Meara announced at one point that it was Fucci’s birthday, then added that it was also Traver’s birthday and Zaccharia’s birthday. Maybe it was his birthday too (who knows?) but when the music is this good, you can be led to celebrate just about anyone and anything. According to their Instagram page, the band is recording a new record. I recommend following to jump right on that one when it comes out. 

The next band to the stage was the ever popular Them Airs, who filled the small space just as full of fans as it was full of films, with a swell of sound from wall to wall. Guitarist Cade Williams and drummer Evan Nork traded off and shared vocals for the set, with Amina Rustemovic on synth, Adam Cohen on bass, and Luke Schroeder on guitar completing their circle. There were multiple shout-outs from Williams and Nork between songs, one to their first fan, who they said was ​“A‑1 from day one,” and later saying ​“whoever put on Scanners, I love you.” 

Not unlike Cronenberg, this band specializes in offering their audience the unexpected, yet that unexpected is exactly what their fans came to see. A piece of Jet’s ​“Are You Gonna Be My Girl” made it into one song, with Williams announcing afterward ​“that was ​‘Black Dog’ by Led Zeppelin.” Weezer hand signs were held up with ensuing laughter as their super-fun nature permeated the entire set. However the band continued to be undefinable musically, pounding rhythms and high energy melodies kept the audience moving along with them, especially during the repetitive mantra-type lyrics of ​“Reception Desk” from their 2020 release Union Suit XL. Afterward Nork told me the band was working on a new record as well. That news and that set was a reminder to check out their entire catalog, with offerings that sound as fresh as the day they were released. 

Brusier and Bicycle arrived to the stage four members strong with a new movie in place, the Wim Wenders classic Paris, Texas. Nick Whittemore on vocals and guitar, Keegan Graziane on vocals and guitar, Z on bass, and Joe Taurone on drums offered an atmospheric set highlighted by their harmonizing vocals as well as expansive and explosive melodies and rhythms that punctuated their short but impactive set. At times delicate and purposeful and then almost immediately changing into a more frenetic cacophony of sound, this band had me eager to not only check out more of their catalog, but also hoping they one day get to provide their own soundtrack to a film. 

Whittemore, who came into the audience to perform one song, shouted out Best Video as a ​“really cool spot.” Shows such as this one testify to this intimate and welcoming venue, which continues to change with the times while being a space where bands can always come and be themselves. Much like the vast selection of films lining the walls, each band has story to tell and each one has a wealth of people who are ready to hear it, even on a Sunday night.