Hundredth
Hundredth proved that a shift in genres can be refreshing at Soda Bar on Friday, December 15th.
On a brisk Friday night, a few people huddled outside the Soda Bar to smoke cigarettes. Inside, audience members began to fill the venue eager to see Hundredth and the other touring bands playing that night. Each group had a unique aesthetic that complimented each other.
Gleemer from Colorado opened the night up with a set of songs from their latest album, Anymore. With sounds reminiscent of Smashing Pumpkins with a shoegaze twist, the band played cohesively and captured the crowd’s attention. Their vocalist mentioned that it was their first time in San Diego. Hopefully, it won’t be their last.
Following Gleemers, LA’s own Tennis System took to the stage quietly and set up. The energy and intensity of their noisy punk songs left a lasting impression on the room. Coupling strong melodies, emotional lyrics, and an earnestness to their craft, Tennis System have all the right elements to blow up as an up-and-coming band.
Spotlights brought a change of pace with heavier, grunge sounds to their set. Almost subconsciously, people began to nod to the riffs. Coupled with an incredible drummer and a myriad of guitar effects, the set was received warmly.
As Hundredth began their first track of their latest album, Rare, it was apparent that the band had a theme in mind. Both the visual and sound coalesced into a dreamy shoegaze/post-punk atmosphere, with hints at their hardcore roots. The vocals soared through tracks like “Suffering” and “Neurotic,” with visuals of oil projections and repeating patterns adding to the hypnotic tones. Announcing that they were going to play the album from start to finish, the audience was treated to a band making a significant departure from their previous sound. Ultimately, Hundredth made a creative decision to follow a new path which clearly paid off on this new album and live show.