So, if you haven’t seen Big Hurry live, now is the time. Their CD release show at Brillobox this Friday, January 28th, is primed to be the party of the winter. The setting is perfect for the band, with the sound system, intimate space, ambiance, and bouncy floor to accommodate their effusive style.
I could be biased. I’ve seen them several times, each time at a better venue than the previous. I’ve already fallen in love with Dani’s masterful percussion, Kelly‘s forceful fronting, Lenny’s booming backup, and Andy’s undercover effervescence. But, then, if I’m biased, my objective is to give good reasons why.
Big Hurry invites comparison to a variety of local and national acts both classic and contemporary. For me, an enthusiast of strong, sexy, female-fronted bands, especially local ones, I can’t resist drawing the parallel to back-in-the-day Brownie Mary. It’s less trippy and minus the No Doubt vibe. But remember when Kelsey Friday gave you goosebumps about being in the same room with a Pittsburgh band? Kelly Tobias rivals Friday’s powerful vocals with an even bigger voice, and she’s got the subtle, subdued sensuality down to a science.
It’s the seeping sexiness that makes Big Hurry a band you have to see live. They translate shockingly well to disc, which makes them a perfectly satisfying take-home band. But it’s in person that you really grasp the separate, singularly exciting layers that combine to complete this unmissable local sound.
I’ve been blaring Big Hurry for months, the 6-song “Silver Screens” EP keeping me perfectly content with a one-sound-fits-every-emotion soundtrack. But I’m celebrating this Friday’s CD Release party for the new “Gets Me Low” EP like the Pittsburgh holiday between the AFC Championship and the Super Bowl that it is.
On “Gets Me Low,” the band grows out from every extreme of the creative spectrum they exhibited on “Silver Screens.” The melodies are more complex, the lyrics more ingenious, and the overall sound more layered. While the last EP’s “Paper Trails” provided an undeniable entry point to this band, the new disc is more inviting and accessible. Just a touch more pop has been added to the genuine rock vibe.
While they’re not prolific, they’re consistently fresh — Big Hurry produces absolutely no filler. Contributing to their addictive nature is the fact that each track, distinctive in sound, reliably crescendos to a fulfilling intensity both vocally and instrumentally. It’s great material for a catharsis via voice loss, whether you’re rushing headlong into love or spitefully slamming the door on it.
Big Hurry CD Release Party
Friday, January 28 at 9:30pm
Brillobox
4104 Penn Ave
Pittsburgh, PA
15224-1306
Advance tickets available at Pageboy!
