photo by James Minchin
Monday, May 6 – The Joy Formidable
with Io Echo
7 p.m.
The Social
54 N. Orange Ave.
407-246-1419
thesocial.org
$15
Welsh rockers the Joy Formidable make a whole lot of racket for a three-piece. While some guitar gauze, indie-pop quirk, occasionally complex lyricism and orchestral arrangements make their way into the group’s sound, their general modus operandi seems singularly focused on making big, bombastic and, yes, joyful rock & roll that somehow manages to still be forward-looking. While so many bands feel like they need to rationalize (or be ironic about) making stadium-sized, major-chord singalongs, the Joy Formidable positively revels in it, casting neither a knowing wink nor a hint of apology for its uplifting sound. Maybe it’s because these three know they’re delivering the goods in a smart and honest manner, or maybe it’s just because, fuck it, music should make you happy sometimes. Show openers Io Echo are equally shame-free, but maybe nobody’s told them they should apologize for splitting the difference between synth-pop, Siouxsie and shoegaze. (And they shouldn’t!) – Jason Ferguson
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This article appears in May 1-7, 2013.