Review: Thursdays in Suburbia Rock The House of Blues With Upstart Attitude

Thursdays in Suburbia phot by TIS

By TINA TADDEI

Thursdays in Suburbia played to a jam packed audience at the House of Blues in Anaheim and delivered new-era punk-metal music with attitude.

It was Sunday Funday at the House of Blues, where up-and-coming local bands played to a lively crowd.

Thursdays in Suburbia rocked the stage along with Stone of the Sun, Saint Ee Ha, Paloma Negra, Anthony Alexander, Burning Red and Smittero!  Styles ranged from jazz to rhythm and blues to alternative and punk which kept things rowdy and interesting.

Thursdays in Suburbia pic by TIS

Thursdays in Suburbia is based out of the Inland Empire (Eastvale) and is comprised of four band members, Johnny Shankel on drums, Reece Borski on bass, Liam Eastwood on guitar and Serena Tario, vocals.

The bandmates range in age from 16 to 18. But don’t let their age fool you. It’s tempting to underestimate them until they step out on stage and fire up one of their songs. I was blown away by their technical skill as it was clear to me that these guys liked to play with full force and had no difficulty keeping up their relentlessly fast tempo.

SERENA TARIO of Thursdays in Suburbia phot by Sound the Groove

They started with an original, “Against Us,” about the struggles of chasing a dream and the obstacles that block our way. The melody with its distinctive pattern, hooked me in, and judging by the expressions on the crowd’s faces, I wasn’t the only one. I particularly liked “Underworld,” another original with a well structured composition and catchy riffs. It had a dark, almost occultist feel to it which only underscored its
sultry vibe.

Their overall performance showed a lot of moxie, and they packed a punch with a strong mix of originals and cover songs.

REECE BORSKI of Thursdays in Suburbia phot by Sound the Groove

Their last song, a cover from Black Sabbath, “Warpigs,” was a bit of a surprise. I admit, I didn’t see that coming. They played the song proficiently and even added their own flavor which went over very well, especially with the Sabbath fans in the audience. A great wrap-up to a metal-hot playlist.

Thursdays in Suburbia is releasing a new music video, Underworld, in August which will coincide with the release of their new EP, The Self-Titled Album.

For more information visit ThursdaysinSuburbia.com