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Eclectic would be the word I would use to describe the show that took place May 1 at the Satyricon.   The variety in music seemed to draw in a crowd just as diverse.  From different sides of the country, to different genres of music, they seemed to be a bit of everything at this show.   The five band bill was a bit on the long side but overall the show was worth seeing.

Opening was Hillsboro locals Mangfald. The band’s performance was on the generic side without much excitement. While they were playing I remember thinking they were okay but by the time the second band started I couldn’t even remember what Mangfald sounded like. It just wasn’t a very notable set.

Next up was The Photo Atlas. Hailing from Denver, the band’s sound was akin to that of At The Drive-In and Jonoah. Having played with bands such as Alkaline Trio,  Say Anything, and Thrice to name a few, the band seemed to know how to put on a good show.  Unfortunately there was more members in the band then people watching. Given the chance to play in front of a full crowd, I think this band would be one worth seeing.  I know I’ll be keeping an eye out for if they were coming through again.

The Forecast took stage next which I found surprising considering this was a stop on their headlining tour.  Finally the venue filled in with a few handfuls of kids happy to see the Midwestern band that had not been through Portland in years.  Touring in support of their newest EP, Alive For The First Time, The Forecast rocked the stage with a mix of new songs and old classics that had many people in the audience singing along. If you haven’t checked out the EP yet, I definitely suggest it.  The band sounds better than ever on the new songs and the acoustic versions of songs from their last album are just as good as the originals. Plus how could anyone not love a band that sales pint glasses with their logo on them?

Second to last was the band that surprisingly seemed to have the biggest draw of the night.  The Standoff, who is from Portland, had feet tapping and heads nodding all over the club as they played songs with a little twag mixed with folk rock. The folk band even played one song that they said was meant to be played at an Irish pub. This seemed to be the crowd favorite as most sung along and some people even danced. The band wasn’t really my thing but if you are into folk they might be worth your time to check out.

Last up was another Portland band, Nickel Arcade. Normally, Nickel Arcade gets a fairly decent size crowd of kids singing along to every song. A time slot so late did not agree with the band whose fan base largely consist of high school students that can’t get enough of their catchy songs.  Despite the small crowd, the band still gave a great performance that even included a Jimmy Eat World cover.  The pop rock band was fun to watch as always. Guys, I’m still waiting for you to play that Allister cover for me.  Just saying.

Additional photos from this show can be found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/kingbanana/