Fullerton, CA – Sunday night at Downtown Fullerton seems like a deserted street compared to the craziness of the days before. But at Slidebar there is a crowd that is ready to rock. Pop punk bands The Dollyrots and Go Betty Go spent the last night of their “Double-Headed Tour†in Fullerton. When it came to the rest of the bar, the place was empty but stepping into the other room it became apparent where everyone was. The room was packed with people ready to hear some great live music, some of them definitely long time fans from the looks of their band merchandise and tour t-shirts.
The night started with the first supporting act, the band Storeetellers. This group came on stage ready to rock very much in the Halloween spirit as the members were dressed in costumes through of all their set. The band played a couple original songs, but what got people really excited and had them talking for the rest of the night was the band’s cover of the classic song “Proud Maryâ€. It was like no other cover of that song that any had heard. It had a raw punk sound without taking from the original context of the song. It definitely left an impression since the lead singer of The Dollyrots, Kelly Ogden, gave the band a shout-out for their cover and called it “geniusâ€.
The next band was WASI, who brought a more classic punk sound that took over the room and got people moving a little. The band had a solid performance and the room seemed to be full of their fans. The vocals and the instrumentals blended really well, it created a powerful flow that led to a set that got people dancing and talking about the band afterwards. They were a great band to play before The Dollyrots since they left the crowd ready for more and full of adrenaline.
The Dollyrots at Slidebar in Fullerton, CA. Photo By Monserrat Jimenez
The Dollyrots took the stage a little late, but didn’t stop the room from shifting as close to the front as possible and ready to hear some of their favorite songs. The band opened up with one of their older hits, “My Best Friend’s Hotâ€, which caused the room to sing a long as well as got them warmed up for the rest of their fast-paced set. They took plenty of breaks to talk to the crowd and make jokes and puns that led to their next song. One of their stories was about how they had left the key for their trailer all the way in LA and so they decided to just saw off the lock instead so they were “making fireworks†on the sidewalk a couple hours earlier.
Go Betty Go took the stage quickly after The Dollyrots to finish off the night. They started off with a rocking set and by then most of the crowd was dancing and shaking their hair to the beat. They took only a couple talking breaks in between, including one to explain that they were joined with Sol from the band, The Vigils, since their bassist Michelle was busy with “mommy duties†to join them on this tour. But even with their replacement for the night, the band rocked out and brought a great energy to finish off the night. The crowd was definitely on their side and sang along to some of the band’s more familiar songs. As the night came to a close, the bar was full of mingling between all of the bands and the fans that had turned up. It led to a night of hanging out with drinks and if you’re Kelly Ogden from The Dollyrots, really spicy Thai noodle takeout.
