Live Review: Maids, Puck, Pat Chow

For those who went against the grain of the typical Northbridge stumble-around, and opted to start Friday evening with some guts and a little glory, Ya Ya's was the place.
Pat Chow, formerly The Whores, opened the night with a bang, crunching out sounds reminiscent of Weezer's Pinkerton era. Small but mighty, the crowd filled the room with applause following every song. Lead singer Ben Protasiewicz (and his unkempt mop) didn't lose steam for a second, ending their high-energy set with Ice Cream. If you closed your eyes, you could very well have been listening to Isaac Brock, circa 1996.
The crowd dispersed between sets to fill their vacant pint glasses. For a moment it looked as though the once attentive audience wouldn't reform, but the moment PUCK took to the stage, everyone dutifully assembled in support. Guys sporting beards or '80s ponytails and severely aged T-shirts predominately populated the crowd, offering a warm welcome. PUCK's self-described dream-doom stoner-rock was right on point as a mix of psychedelic melody partnered with bursts of stoner metal filled the room. The audience gently head-banged in loose synchronization as both guitarist and bassist hunched, contentedly strumming as if alone, jamming in their basement. The low-key venue created the ideal space for the lengthy, purposefully drawn-out songs. The set ended with a solid cheer and once again the audience religiously attended to their empty glasses.
“What's up every bitch?!” screams guitarist and lead singer Matt James, as Maids whole-heartedly dive into their first song, with hardly a pause before their second. A humble “thank you” came from drummer and singer Sean Cook. The back of the venue was abandoned, as humorous banter from the band motivated everyone to be up front and super stoked. During Death To Computer Cook's odd, comical facial expressions developed to full character. Animal from The Muppet Show is high on the list of comparative drumming persona. It was too good not to watch. Top gear momentum and Maids' general enthusiasm to be on stage kept everyone bobbing along. A solid cheer from the crowd continued the vibe. Maids charged into One Step Closer giving way for a dancier sort of feel for the heavy indie rock band. It was obvious these guys are comfortable in their performing skin and love what they do. Well worth the watch. I give this show four out of five pint-sized beers.