CONCERT REVIEW - Cherub

Alright, this review is a bit out of my usual musical genre, so please bear with me. On Monday night, the Red Bull Sound Stage rolled into Tampa. This is a great initiative by Red Bull to promote local music and celebrate hard working bands that are gaining popularity. They take these bands on a mobile stage around the country and allow them to play free concerts on Red Bull’s dime, enhancing the bands reach and providing music fans an opportunity to see free shows.

Currently headlining this tour is an electro-funk group by the name of Cherub. This duo is comprised of Jordan Kelley and Jason Huber. They’re based in Nashville, Tennessee and have two albums released – Mom and Dad in 2012, and 100 Bottles in 2013.

Cherub performed on the outdoor stage at The Cuban Club in Ybor. The crowd was a bit small for a free concert, but everyone seemed to be having a great time! I was on the fence about attending, but Cherub proved to be one of those groups that sound better live than off the record.

The duo provided lots of funk and synth-pop, with some keyboard accents to get the crowd into the music. Kelley and Huber both played the guitar at times, and seemed to sing almost entirely in falsettos, producing a surprisingly high voice for the size of these men. In fact the only instruments on stage were the guitars, the vocals and a mysterious funk-guitar attachment.

Overall, it was a high energy, good-vibe show. The guys displayed excellent showmanship and really hyped up the crowd. (Despite no alcohol being sold at the venue) One of the coolest moments was a remix to Calvin Harris’ “Feel So Close” to get everyone dancing.

The final song was their most well-known tune, entitled “Doses and Mimosas.” This satisfied the crowd and capped off a fun night in Ybor. Cherub definitely has some fans and it’ll be interesting to see if this Red Bull Tour increases their popularity. They already have gigs booked at Bonnaroo, Firefly and Osheaga this summer.

CONCERT REVIEW: 2.5 Stars

Acoustic:

Live: