Girl in a Coma, an all female band from San Antonio played a fast and hard set full of songs from all their albums, but in support of their latest “Exits and all the Rest.” Their sound is very reminiscent of 90’s girl bands like Sleater-Kinney and the vocal stylings of PJ Harvey. Throughout Girl in a Coma’s band career they have stuck with what works for them, which is girl-power-rock. I can imagine their music being played as the soundtrack to a modern women’s liberation movement. They are some strong women, and that comes across in their performance. There is great energy between the three band members. A couple highlights from the set were “Clumsy in the Sky” and “El Monte”, which was accompanied by a story of the song’s inception.
The Features were all wearing plaids and bearded out. They are a group of friends from Nashville, and that’s not surprising as it shows in their music. They have always had this interesting blend of energetic power pop with a southern twang to it, but on their latest album “Wilderness” things have gotten a little more rock. And it’s not a bad thing at all. Songs from “Wilderness” were showcased nicely during the set. “Big Mama Gonna Whip Us Good” turned The Prophet Bar into a hoedown for a few minutes. People closest to the stage were into it the most, trashing around in a playful manner. And the live rendition of “Another One” really shined. The Features set had plenty of sing along and clap along moments for the audience to participate in, which everyone seemed really enthusiastic about. There has been a definite progression in the band leading up to this album. And the confidence of years playing together is visible and audible. These two bands may not be the absolute perfect pairing, but they are certainly both full of real rambunctious energy, and that makes for a great live show.
By Root Chakra
Note: Catch Girl in A Coma at Homegrown Fest this May in Dallas.