UConn students got a chance to let loose and have some fun when bands Call to Consciousness and Tip the Van made their way to von der Mehden Recital Hall this past Friday.
First to the stage was Call to Consciousness, or C2C for short, a band reminiscent of a young Blink-182, matching both the energy and charisma of the notorious trio. The quartet, whose members are evenly split between Massachusetts and Connecticut, opened with the original "Right on Target," a number laden with heavy guitar and even heavier drums. Behind these drums was Rich Stone, who said the "pretty aggressive" sound of the high school and college friends, whose respective influences range from R&B to metal, took some time to develop. "We all try to find common ground," he said. "I don't know how we make it work, but we do."
The self-described "straightforward rock" sound of C2C was followed by the impressive range of stylings of Marlborough, Conn. sextet Tip the Van. The Vans Warped Tour alums immediately strove to get energy soaring, requesting that everyone in attendance crowd around the stage and clap along with the music. And the many "Van fans" did just that as the band, fronted by sisters Nicole and Simone Oliva, whose vocals were at times both sultry and sweet, dove into their ska-influenced set.
It was clear that band and audience alike seemed to be having a great time during the set. Standouts included the original "Perhaps," a bluesy interjection to the reggae-laced performance, and high-powered covers of Incubus's "Anna Molly" and Vampire Weekend's "A-Punk."
The clear appeal of Tip the Van was perhaps best summed up by the band themselves. "Are you guys [Facebook] friends with us yet?" Nicole Oliva asked teasingly midway through the set. "Because you should be."
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