It’s a Saturday night in Studio City and the Universal Bar and Grill is beginning to fill with patrons. The regulars filed in along with guys carrying instruments and gear, setting up on the stage. This venue definitely has a dive bar vibe and a fantastic stage set up. It’s located directly across the street from Universal Studios so it also gets a lot of traffic. It’s a great venue for an up and coming rock band to cut their teeth.
Skull Riot was the first band on the roster of a show that featured 5 bands altogether. They took to the stage around 8pm and wasted no time diving head first into an aggressive set of punk tinged, stripped down indie rock.
Since the band is a 2 piece they will quickly draw comparisons to acts like Royal Blood and Death From Above 1979 but don’t be so quick to judge. Skull Riot may have the same set up these bands do but they have a sound all their own.
The music is loud and fast like punk but bassist / lead vocalist J. Ferron does a great job bringing some new flavors into the mix. These splashes of classic rock, latin and psychedelic influence give the band a unique edge that differentiates their style from other 2 piece bands.
The band played a 30 minute set to an excited crowd as the venue filled up with people. Their set was the perfect opener for a night filled with gritty underground rock bands.
Four other bands played throughout the evening and while all of them were good, Skull Riot’s set was a stand-out due to their original style and punk rock energy. This was one of their first live shows as a band, so while they have some room to grow, the sound is rock solid and there is a ton of potential.
This is a band to watch in 2024 and beyond.
