(insert title here) - Volume 2 Issue 1 - Concert: Leo, Sweep, & Longitude by Anthony Caragiulo

Last Friday, the Pub was filled with the sounds of Longitude, Sweep the Leg Johnny, and Ted Leo and the Pharmacists. The acts were part of the free concert series sponsored by S.C.O.P.E.

The tone for the night was set by the opening band, Longitude, who has just started touring and are new to the indie music scene. They played a 40-minute set of mellow Emo-styled songs centered around the pain of heartbreak. They were also able to get the crowd energized with a few up-tempo rock songs that prefaced the next act perfectly.

Sweep the Leg Johnny, which hails from Chicago, Il., was the second act to play during the evening. Sweep, as they are known to their fans, consists of Christopher Daly on guitar, John Brady on bass, Scott Anna on drums and back-up vocals, and Steven Sostak on alto saxophone and lead vocals. As soon as Sweep took the stage, their faithful fans, some of who traveled here from Hamilton College and Syracuse, stood up in front of the stage eagerly anticipated the start of the blistering set to come.

From the beginning of their set until the end, Sweep exuded a maximum level of intensity throughout their performance. Sweep the Leg Johnny is currently at the tail end of a four-year tour in which they have played nearly 400 live shows and traveled throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. During this time they have managed to put out two albums, their debut album entitled Tomorrow We Will Run Faster and their current release on Southern records Sto Cazzo!

The band, which formed during their college years at Notre Dame, brings different music backgrounds to the band. This is evidenced in the sounds of their music that incorporates noise, orchestration, jazz, punk, prog, Goth, and melody. The abruptness of the breaks throughout their songs along with the fierce accompaniment of the alto sax made every Sweep song jump at the audience. This, coupled with the intensity of the band and emotion in the voice of Solstak, made attending the show more than worthwhile.

As if the performances up to this point weren't enough, the show was capped off by a powerful performance by Ted Leo and the Pharmacists. Throughout the powerful set, the packed house at the Pub was on their feet dancing and having a great time. The band ended the set with a song dedication to the head of the S.C.O.P.E. program director PhiLL Ramey. This put a nice end to a night filled with musical intensity and superior talent.

Concert Review: Ted Leo, Sweep the Leg Johnny, & Longitude

Donovan's Pub at Colgate University 11.9.01

by Anthony Caragiulo