The Binghamton Underground Music Presents (BUMP) show Saturday, March 12, in the Union Undergrounds showed that the space which functions as a spot for student group meetings and open mics is also a prime concert location with enough room for sitting, dancing and moshing. The most recent show put on by BUMP featured bands Comfy and Cymbals Eat Guitars.
Mark Buescher, the coordinating chair for BUMP and a senior majoring in industrial and systems engineering, shared that BUMP “went about booking the bands a little different this semester” because of the desire to book the Undergrounds. The process was opposite to the usual, “Find a band, pick a date, book a venue.”
Buescher “first contacted Cymbals back in September, through their booking agent. We couldn’t work anything out last semester, but luckily March 12 worked for them. Comfy actually contacted us first — they heard about us through Scope & Figure, the band that opened for Krill last semester.”
Cymbals Eat Guitars, an indie rock band from Staten Island, came on second. This band featured a much more rock-infused sound. The band’s name is a quote from Lou Reed about the Velvet Underground’s sound. The band is well-regarded by Pitchfork and has been on tour and headlined for different bands, including The Flaming Lips. Cymbals Eat Guitars has three albums; the most recent, “Lose,” was released in 2014. A hit single from this album, “Jackson,” was renamed “Binghamton” for the night.
Both bands made good use of the back screen. The first band, Comfy, had a background projection that was a loop of happily drunken men in suits and a fun, sloppy dog.
The bands were energetic and playful with the audience. More than once the lead singers and one of the guitarists held guitars behind their heads as they played. The performances were interactive and engaging with band members coming into the audience and students being pulled onstage.
Andrew Sblendorio of Comfy spoke about his unique perspective, because of his spot in the drummer’s seat.
He said that before Comfy goes on they have some pre-show rituals.
“Ben usually smokes a cigarette, Connor usually talks to his girlfriend, I practice with my drum pad, Darryl — I’m not sure, maybe he washes his face,” Sblendorio said.
Sblendorio has been in the band since last August, member Connor Benincasa started the band three years ago and member Ben Hicks has been on board for the past two years. The band’s members fluctuate and there is a lot of turnover.
“Our rhythm guitar player has been in the band for three months and tonight is his last show,” Sblendorio said. The BUMP show was a last hurrah of sorts for the current band members.
Sblendorio described the band’s sound as “garage pop” adding, “I like it when we get hard rock in [our description]. I try to bring in more improvization elements.”
The band from Utica, New York, currently has a cassette out called “Pillowhugger” as well as a mixtape with a friend’s band, Skirts. Their new album will be out later this year.