by Lee Strubinger
The Gothic Theatre is a perfect venue for a band like Denver’s own Snake Rattle Rattle Snake. Just the name of the venue itself hearkens to a dark, mysterious and jagged picture in the mind; and that's exactly where the band wants to take you.
This past weekend SRRS took the Gothic over in celebration of the release of their sophomore record, “Totem.”
As noted last week, SRRS’s music exists in the dark, perfect on overcast days or clear haunted nights. Frigid Friday night temperatures failed to stop a crowd from filing into the venue.
Siblings Hayley and Wilson Helmericks and the other members of the band took many moons to craft their new album. After a three-year gestation, they presented the culmination of their efforts to a collection of friends, family and stragglers during the album release show.
Snake Rattle Rattle Snake shows are an event to behold. Sinister visuals float in the back drop, conjuring paranoid thoughts. Hayley’s tall figure swooped and swayed in a white button down dress through layers of bass and synth driven tracks. The show was a truly dark but entertaining experience.
Vocalist Hayley Helmericks spread many bright thanks over the course of the hour long set. “We worked very hard on this record and are very proud of it,” she said to a near full cheering Gothic Theatre crowd.
Then the band hopped into the track “Versus,” while black and white visuals of large felines in pursuit, contrasted by antelopes and gazelles, floated above the band’s head. Haley cooed “You root for the antelope / I root for the lion.”
Shortly after, SRRS powered through the track “The Breath and the Glow,” perhaps their most powerful song, which boomed through the walls of the Gothic. Their encore lasted about as long as it took them to walk on stage before closing with the track “Evil Eye,” the first song off of “Totem,” and arguably the most catchy.
It will be interesting to see where the release of “Totem” will take the band. It’s already gained them a nod from NPR Music and is approachable to an audience beyond the Front Range. It seems like only a matter of time.
