Narrows


"Thanks to everyone who lent us gear. This is none of our stuff," Narrows frontman Dave Verellen said on April 24 when the band played the tiny Cake Shop. The band's only American appearance before heading out to Austria was put together by 1,000 Knives and BrooklynVegan.

"We're shocking each other up here. It's awesome! I can't hear anything," Verellen said two songs into their set. Just like in videos of the frontman's former band, Botch, Verellen exploded into the crowd faster than anyone could instinctively respond.

The band deserved a much bigger venue with much better sound, but they didn't care. They're professional, but they're not "rock stars". The show itself -- which included Psychic Limb, I Hate Our Freedom and Acid Tiger -- was the best place for the band to shake off their anxiety before heading out on a 10-day European tour. While that might not seem like a big deal for other bands, those other bands get to meet more than a handful of times before a tour -- unlike the guys in Narrows.

"Does anybody have any questions?" Verellen asked the crowd while his bandmates tuned their instruments.

"How do you do it!?" an astonished fan asked. He got no reply. But he did get an aural, hardcore butt-whipping. The band swiftly carried through an amazing set without an encore. It's OK. We didn't need one of those anyways. Showers, on the other hand? We all needed those.

Be sure to pick up a Narrows/Heiress split if you check the band out on tour.

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