By Alyssa Aldrete | Asst. Inscape Editor
Locals shuffled into the Vibe Bar and Grill in Riverside as the dimly lit club began to be set up for a night of local music on Friday Feb. 22.
The night kicked off with Riverside hip hop artist Always Watching (also known as Ed Jauregui), who sang to pre-recorded tracks, jumping around on stage and interacting with the audience.
Despite his harmonizing rap style differing from the ambient alt-rock sound of the rest of the night’s acts, Jauregui received applause from the audience.
Next up was local band In Tetra Heights, who set the night’s sound off with their progressive rock sound. Guitarists, James Valdez and Kris Ramirez, switched off between vocals giving their songs a much more dynamic sound.
The band’s set featured their newly released single “Thermodynamics and Quantum Mechanics,” which starts off with a slightly jazzy sound and progresses into an upbeat mixture of fast paced guitars and drums.
The audience clapped along with nearly every song in the band’s set, feeding the energetic antics of Valdez, Ramirez, bassist Frank Delgado and drummer Sam Painter.
Following In Tetra Heights was Grand Terrace band Grey.
The band’s second live performance as a band showed the fans that filled the room just how much they enjoy playing, with energy and passion emitting from each member.
Drummer Matthew Hall, guitarists Dominic Trujillo and Nick Hornbeck, bassist Derek Hussey and vocalist Trever Stewart performed to a screaming, clapping crowd, who cheered along with each song.
Trujillo, who hosted and promoted the show himself, thanked the audience for attending before getting back into the set with the song “The Traveler,” singing parts of the heartfelt chorus with lead vocalist, Stewart.
The band also performed, much to the satisfaction of the eager audience, their first and newly released single “Circles.” Fans sang along to the lyrics and bobbed their heads in sync with the beautifully haunting instrumentals.
As Grey’s set came to an end at nearly 10:30 p.m., Trujillo encouraged the members of the audience to stay for the headlining band, When Whales Collide, who had traveled from San Diego to play the show.
The band, consisting of drummer Felipe Pezzoli, guitarist Lukas Weiss, bassist Jordan Nassi, and guitarist/vocalist Tory Bader, began to start their set in dim lighting, pairing just right with their ambient sound.
The band performed songs from their recently released EP “By Default,” as well as their self-titled EP, released in February 2012. The set included a three minute long instrumental that seemed to put the audience in a trance, as well as their singles “I’m In Love with a Wolf” and “City Lights.”
Bader thanked the audience. “I didn’t expect people to watch us play this late, it’s pretty cool, so thanks for sticking around,” Bader said.
Despite one somewhat out of place act, the show turned out to be a success, with everyone in attendance sticking around for each band.
It’s safe to say that these local talents will only have growing numbers in their audiences in the future.
Grey will perform next at all ages Anaheim venue Chain Reaction, alongside Between California and Summer, Charming Liars, and The Silent Bullets.
The bands will open for Sacramento headliner K Sera, at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 7th.