by photojournalist Ryan Marchese
Fresh off the release of their latest album, Burnout, Good Terms turned an ordinary Thursday night into something unforgettable. Currently on their inaugural national tour, “Highway to Hell Yeah Brother,” the band made their Tampa debut at Crowbar in Ybor City. Watching them in the intimate setting of Crowbar felt like being at a killer basement show from the days of yesteryear. The LA-based pop punk band had the crowd moving and the walls shaking. They were supported by Florida locals Pretty Pity, Discord Theory and High Press.
The crowd trickled in at the start of the night as the Tampa-based High Press kicked things off. Those that made it to the opening act’s set were lucky enough to catch a combination of sad, angsty vocals with fast tempos and catchy melodies. Their fusion of pop punk and emo takes the best of both worlds and mashes them together. The dueling vocals in tracks like “Fear” really gave me old Taking Back Sunday vibes. The lyrics in “Sunshine State” were great insight into where they ‘re coming from and have an emo summer vibe that will stick with you. High Press was a really fun opening act and perfectly suited for the bill.
Discord Theory was up next, merging the grit of post-hardcore breakdowns with the high energy of pop punk and a dash of storytelling. This young group was a blast to watch. Between shredding guitars and jumping around on stage, they kept the crowd engaged. If Discord Theory was a puzzle, each member was a perfectly fitting piece. Luis sang about deeply personal struggles but delivered an overall message of hope and perseverance. Funky fresh bass lines were supplied courtesy of Anthony. Sydney ripped some nasty guitar riffs and provided backing vocals on some of the tracks. And drummer, Tyler, was the driving force behind it all. Keep an eye out for what this act does in the future.
When Pretty Pity took the stage, their presence was undeniable. Led by vocalist, Tani Jade, the band held the crowd’s attention captive between their driving percussions, tasty guitar riffs, and dance moves. Whether it was twerking, twirling, or bending over backwards, Tani’s physical performance was only surpassed by her vocal talents. The pop punk band’s unique sound is the culmination of each member’s own musical tastes and styles blended together. Drawing from real life experiences and relationships, songs like “Whiskey” had fans cheering and singing along word for word. Pretty Pity even treated the packed venue to a brand-new track. After seeing them for the first time, it was easy to see why the band has gained such a strong following in Florida.
Good Terms walked out to a full venue ready to get rowdy. Their setlist was dominated by tracks from Burnoout, and that was met with overwhelming positivity. Both pre-release singles “All In” and “Progress” were featured in the set as well as “High Right Now,” “Same Team,” and a few others off the new album. Some older tracks like “Wither Away” were peppered in for long time fans. Their cover of “Jump” by Van Halen was a standout moment of the night though. Good Terms had everyone in the house jumping up and down and shouting “JUMP!” Frontman Brian McShea even left the stage to tour the crowd, ensuring everyone was having a good time.
It was a night full of firsts. In addition to it being Good Terms’ first national tour and stop in Tampa, it was my first time catching each of these acts. I love finding new music to listen to and this show gave me plenty to check out. To say it was a successful outing for Good Terms would be a major discredit. These guys busted their asses on stage. Zach, Brian and Geo all had moments of hangtime throughout their set when they weren’t singing or tearing it up on guitars. The mixed lighting made Ivan look like a majestic beast as his fingers blazed up and down his guitar’s neck. At the back of the stage, Brendan did a hell of a job pumping up the crowd when he wasn’t banging away on the drums. I really hope to see this tight-knit group of friends riding high on the success of Burnout and more dates down this way in the future.
