 Martha Berner |
 SundayRunners |
 Martha Berner |
Story and photos by Matt Schwenke
In a one-two punch from Machine Records' Martha Berner and SundayRunners, the Midwest recording artists took a cold room at the Annex of Marquette University's Union and warmed things up with an energized set apiece.
Charged with the always difficult task of opening on a low-turnout night, Martha Berner's dynamic vocals and swaying guitar lines in "Lady of Plenty" and "Dear Franklin" begged for an audience. The songs from her debut ...this side of yesterday have a sense of a folk tradition but are not confined by it. Showing multi-instrument talents, Berner also delivered some boot-stomping harmonica while playing guitar on "A Town Called Happiness." As the audience grew by the end of Berner's performance, it was her attention to detail in song structure and textures that set her apart from a rather limiting backing band, and it was her voice that remained the most captivating throughout the night as she shifted from aggressive and commanding to soft and pleading.
Not to be confused with Sunday drivers, SundayRunners came out driving hard with a few Coldplay-but-tougher moments in the well-placed falsetto and pop harmonies of "Into Your Head" and the band's OC tune "Memories Left At Sea"-- both from the band's self-titled debut. The energy infused in "Elected" and "Half My Height" did well to stir the crowd as lead singer Randy Diderrich was a constant buzz of energy. The song "Finally" revealed a vast soundscape that was anchored deep by drummer Dan Reinholdt and bassist Rick Diderrich. With keyboardist Aaron Grant expanding the sound throughout the evening and guitarist Mason Brown weaving in and out, the SundayRunners have created a sound that is distinctly theirs. Though a few songs like "Lip Biter" and "Half My Height" were a bit bland when compared to the rest of the set, the SundayRunners are taking risks in songwriting and are finding fruitful results.
SundayRunners
Martha Berner
SundayRunners
SundayRunnersHere's Your Chance to.... Respond!
Your feedback will be featured on
Rant or Rave within 24 hours.
