VAST’S SHOW TURNS INTO A WHINE AND CHEESE PARTY
April 1999
Columbus, OH
unknown publication

I think it’s safe to assume VAST learned a lesson on Sunday night at the Newport that other art-rock bands might take to heart: Never headline a show with a hard rockin’ opening act like Second Coming, in a hard rockin’ Midwest town, on spring-break depleted college campus. Especially on Oscar night. All the intellectuals are at home watching the awards, or in Cancun killing brain cells and getting laid.

VAST, in case you haven’t yet heard, is the brainchild of 21 year old Californian Jon Crosby, standing for "Visual Audio Sensory Theater," VAST blends elements of classical, electronic, pop, gothic, and metal, incorporating orchestral arrangements and samples of the Bulgarian Female Choir and Benedictine Monks in its music.

Second Coming, in case you don’t listen to the Blitz or the Big Wazoo, is the red-hot Seattle rock band making its second Columbus appearance in recent months. Lead singer Travis Bracht spoke volumes about his band and its mission with the opening remark: "How ‘bout them Buckeyes?! Show some tits for the Buckeyes!"

If this sounds like a bad pairing to you consider yourself perceptive. The modest Newport crowd was clearly only interested in Second Coming, whose appearance was heavily hyped by the Blitz.

Second Coming can be best described (massive Alice in Chains guitars, from-the-bowels lead vocals, sequenced keyboards, and drummer’s juvenile water spitting habit). The band makes up for a considerable originality by playing really, really hard. I can honestly say I’ve never heard a singer assault a microphone the way Bracht does.

The band lasted through songs from it’s self-titled Capitol/EMI Records debut, including the ultra-heavy Confessional and Unknown Rider, and hard rock hits Vintage Eyes and Soft. The band and audience fed well off each other, and by the end of the set, both SC and its fans were pretty much rabid. The band staggered off stage, and the audience staggered home.

Second Coming should be given credit for viewing the Newport as a glass half full and going balls out. VAST, unfortunately, wasn’t left even with a half-empty glass. Only enough fans to crowd the front of the stage remained after SC, and VAST’s Jon Crosby was not pleased.

Crosby lit into what remained of the crowd, lamenting their lack of enthusiasm and demanding increased noise. Those who did remain in SC’s wake did their best; Crosby should have been more appreciative. Instead, he only grew more bitter, making sarcastic remarks about local radio. Instead he only grew more bitter, making sarcastic remarks about local radio, which he evidently regards as insufficiently supportive of his work, then turning his rage on Ohio in general.

Needless to say, Crosby’s sulking distracted his band, and it detracted from their quirky, unclassifiable and often powerful music. In the studio, Crosby does most of the work, but VAST live-while neither visual or theatrical as their name suggests-is a tight four-piece, led by Crosby’s acoustic guitar and dynamic voice.

VAST managed to deliver about 30 minutes of music before Crosby and his anger, called it a night. The 40 remaining people made enough noise to get the band out for one more song and a parting speech about how lame our town is. "You guys are really fucking miserable," Crosby sneered. "We’ve got a really big bus; we’ll take you out of here." By that time, though, it wouldn’t have taken a really big bus.

The bottom line is, VAST doesn’t have the energy, experience or momentum to headline a show in spring-break Columbus with Second Coming, even if Crosby’s music is interesting.