DURHAM, NC- The indie rock trio Vinyl Theatre consists of Keegan Calmes (vocals/guitar), Chris Senner (keyboard), and Nick Cesarz (drums). Hailing from Milwaukee, WI, they first released their EP Goldin 2013, with their first full length album Electrogram following not far behind in 2014. When that album landed on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart, they released their sophomore album, Origami, in 2017. After a split with their record label, they independently released their third full length album, STARCRUISER, this year. Touring with bands such as Twenty One Pilots, Smallpools, and The Mowgil’s, they have picked up some traction over the years as they have toured the US multiple times. Following the release of STARCRUISER, they set out for another headlining tour.
Vinyl Theatre stopped again in Durham, NC., with this show only trailing five months behind their last visit to Motorco Music Hall. The weather was a little rainy, and that made for a more of an intimate setting than what most of us were expecting, but it was not a bad thing, and Vinyl Theatre know exactly how to stir up excitement in a crowd.
As the anticipation in the room increase, the band took the stage dressed in space themed jumpsuits. Keegan, who had been recently sick, grabbed the red microphone right away and went to town with “We Make the Music” to jumpstart the night. After playing their catchy hits “The Island” and “New Machines” off their album Origami, they braced the stage with ecstatic and outrageous energy that coursed through their veins and did a cover of “Sail” by AWOLNATION.
In a particularly dramatic moment, the lights shut off and the speakers boomed with an excerpt from “The Real You” by Alan Watts, “Try and imagine what it would be like to go to sleep and never wake up… You will find out, among other things… What was it like to wake up after having never gone to sleep? That was when you were born”. The spooky chords of “Knock Knock” then rang through the speakers immediately following the audio clip.
One of things I loved most about these guys is how real and honest they were throughout the night, giving us insight to some of the songs that are very personal to them. Keegan took time halfway through the show to remind us that, “You never know what anyone is going through, so treat them well,” he then proceeded to seep into the emotional “Don’t Worry”.
Towards the end of the night, he took another pause to shed some light on his own personal life and briefly explained that “Never Thought That This Would Happen” stemmed from a friend of his before the unusual and unsettling heartbeat rhythm set in over the crowd to open that song. From head banging, running around stage, animated expressions, and smiles all around, the guys and the crowd were feeding off each other’s energy throughout the night that kept escalating with each song.
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