Halloweekend Sunday Scaries Cured: The Bends And The Braymores At The HI-FI in Indianapolis

Nov 5

2 min read

Updated: 6 days ago

For many across the Indianapolis area, Nov. 1 was a night of recovering from Halloweekend and bracing for the inevitable Sunday scaries, but for the crowd gathered at HI-FI, the evening was better spent rocking out with The Bends and The Braymores.

Photos By: Sam Lyon

Don't get me wrong, I love the influx of indie and alternative boy bands, but The Braymores really stand out with their indie folk sound and their music has had me in a choke hold since I discovered them last March. This was my first time seeing them perform live and my expectations were exceeded; If I had to describe Matt Tilles’ voice and cadence in a single word, it would be yearning. There is something almost ineffable about the way he delivers each lyric with a seemingly instinctive sense of timing and emphasis that makes you feel the longing, vulnerability, and emotion woven into the lyrics he’s singing. Now I'm the one yearning– yearning for The Braymores to return to Indianapolis for their own headlining show.

Definitely check out The Braymore's new album, When The Lights Went Out !!

Having previously opened for Inhaler at HI-FI the year before, The Bends had already made quite an impression on Indianapolis audiences, drawing in a crowd that had clearly left listeners wanting more. The Bends are the epitome of 2000s garage rock, bringing an infectious energy and sound that feels both nostalgic and undeniably alive. One of my favorite things to take in at any live show is the movement of the crowd. There's something incredibly infectious about watching people lose themselves in the music—swaying, bouncing along to the beat, or passionately singing every word alongside the band.

Photo By: Sam Lyon

As the night came to a close and following a fervent and electric performance of “Seasons Change” that had the whole venue singing, the band exited the stage, but the crowd wasn't quite ready to call it a night. Calls for an encore quickly filled the room, and the band's return for a two-song encore was a welcome reward for an audience that clearly wanted just a little more to hold them over for (hopefully) next time.

Visit The Bends' website to see if they're coming to a city near you and stream their new album, If You Insist.