By Rick Hiduk
For as much as the Lake Carey Inn has disappointed me in the past in terms of inconsistent food and service, the bar was packed to the rafters on Saturday night with an energetic and youthful crowd. Most were at The Lake to see and hear LondonForce. And the bar staff was spot on.
The number of performers on the stage varied from four to six, depending primarily on who was singing lead, as those responsibilities were shared between at least two guys and one girl. Veteran area musician Chris Maruzelli serves as percussionist for the band, which played primary alternative rock and pop and looked every bit the part.
While I’ll admit that I did not know all of the songs in the first two sets, the sound was still crisp, and the musicians were totally on their game. I was shocked by a near perfect cover of Macklemore’s “Thrift Shop,” and the hits just kept on coming.
The third set was undeniably the best, with a rendition of “Royals” – currently at #1 on the pop charts by Lorde – being the highlight of the evening for me. The video for the song is disturbing and points to the underlying meaning of the piece. I hope to get to know the band members by name, as I’d like to compliment the female lead singer who reached deep into her soul and pulled out the passion of the song.
The group’s fan base appears to be equal parts redneck and alternative, with everybody getting along great. The dance floor was full to overflowing for the second and third sets. For the record, the Lake Carey Inn staff was really hustling and the service was very good..