Rustbelt Rock Review

By: Z.M. Delgado

Rustbeltrockreview.com

Volume #190: Public Squares, Lower 13, Fawx & Lilieae

Friday May 23rd

The Foundry Concert Club 4256 Pearl Rd, Cleveland, OH 44109

A fine “How do you do?” and all that. May the pleasantries wash over you. My esteemed friend, I hope this article finds you well. It is with great pleasure that I sit down with you again to discuss another fine evening of Rock N’ Roll here on the North Coast. It all went down Friday night, when I strapped on my battlevest and headed west toward one of my favorite locations in town: The Foundry Concert Club. On the bill for the evening was a quadrilogy of Cleveland’s finest. Topping off the bill was Public Squares with support from Lower 13, Fawx and Lilieae. (Fun Fact: the event was in celebration of Lydia of Lilieae’s birthday.) I arrived shortly after doors and rendezvoused with my home boy Jimmy “The Dook” Fedor of Roxxxstarradio. We headed over to the club, paid the man and headed inside. There we bumped into the boys from Lower 13. The Dook bought a shirt. We decided to run it back out to the car, and once there we blazed a doobie and headed back to the club. Safely inside again, we hit the bar. There we acquired some sort of THC infused beverage. I don’t remember what it was called, but it was tasty, and it kept the buzz up as we made the rounds. The Dook introduced me to members of Lilieae and we bumped into Nick Morris (Guitar/Tundra) as well as Josh Gatka (Guitar/Druparia). All the pieces were in place. All the players were at the table. The stage was set for an evening of epic Cleveland Rock.

Lilieae was first to the stage, and the room was ready to jump off. From the front to the back the crowd was thick as our opening band stepped up. This was my first time seeing Lilieae, which is probably overdue. They are a band that has made considerable noise in recent years, and it is by sheer luck of the draw that this is the first time they have come across my keyboard. So here’s what I discovered: Lilieae is a five piece, female fronted band from here in Cleveland. They have a sound that I would describe as Alternative Rock with a distinctly Punky edge. Ultimately I found their sound to be pretty sweet, I have to say. It was high energy, melodic and fun. Overall they packed a significant groove in the Bass department. I was also big fan of their Drumwork, Guitar skills and their leading lady’s exceptional voice. They had great stage presence particularly the Vocalist who moved throughout the entire set. The rest of the band got into it as well, at one point even breaking into a synchronized trot during “My Pretty Rainboots.” The crowd was definitely into it from the get go. They cheered, Rocked out and even sang along as Lilieae blasted through their set. They played a total of seven songs, before finishing, but then broke into an encore… an unexpected cover of Van Halen’s “Hot For Teacher.” From beginning to end they nailed it, bringing down house and summoning a mighty cheer from the fans. It was awesome! Covering Eddie Van Halen’s riffs are no minor feat, and I have to say it was impressive to see it accomplished. With one final cheer from the crowd, Lilieae said good night and began to break down their gear.

One band down and it was back to the patio for mingling and marijuana. The Dook and I circulated the room and picked up the news from the many musicians and Scene members that were about. In good time though, our attention was grabbed and cemented onto the stage once again, as Fawx plugged in. This is a band that I have seen at least once before. They are a four piece act, made up of Bass/Vocals, Two Guitars and Drums. Their sound is an amalgam of styles. Primarily I would say they have a Punk sound, with touches of Indy and a distinctive Surf Rock element. They have an excellent vibe that is high energy and fun loving. They kicked things off, had some sort of tech difficulties… fixed it and started again. From this point they took off running and never looked back. Their drummer was wearing a camera strapped to his head, which he traded off with his bandmates throughout the show. I can only assume they are collecting footage for an eventual video. The set evolved as Fawx kicked out their brand of hard, fast and driving Rock N’ Roll. With big Vocals and incredible Guitar work, they rocked the Foundry. The crowd seemed to be eating it up, at one point the room even erupted in a bout of spontaneous rhythmic hand clapping. Personally I found their songs to be intense and electrifying as they ripped and Rocked. I believe they played seven, maybe eight, songs before closing out with “Ultraviolet.” The band threw down impressively, showing excellent musicianship and stage presence. The crowd exploded in a raucous ovation, sending Fawx off with reason to hold their heads high. Speaking of high, The Dook and I certainly were. We returned to the bar and picked up another round of those THC drinks as we puffed dutifully on our vapes.

Eric Stevenson: The Official Tattoo Artist of the Rustbelt Rock Review

With our highs now enhanced, we were ready for a real spectacle. Up next was the musical madmen, Lower 13. This is power trio has never failed to impress me. Made up of Guitar/Vocals, Bass/Vocals and Drums, they have a style that transcends genres. Known for their complex musicianship and hard hitting compositions, Lower 13 is among Cleveland’s must see acts. They pack a dual Vocal attack, with a wide spectrum of range. From high end cleans, to deep guttural growls, Lower 13 brings it all to the table. Opening with “Shining Star” they immediately began to hammer their point home. Cymbals crashed and the Bass line ran wild, as Lower 13 marched forward. I was especially stoked about their second track, one of my personal favorites: “Reflection of Me.” With flawless harmonies and incredibly tight changes, they produced an explosive rendition of the track. “Swallowed by Light” was a calamitous avalanche of sound that had their Bass player rocking out hard. Next they treated us to a brand new song called “Reside.” This one had some emotional chords and excellent layers of Vocals throughout. All in all it was a great track, and I can’t wait for the opportunity to hear it again. “More Time” was next with it’s onslaught of Drums, outstanding harmonies and bestial roars. Finally choosing to call it a night, Lower 13 broke out fan favorite “Embrace the Unknown.”The double Bass shook the room, and their was some sort of seismic shift in the clubs emotions. Suddenly the floor erupted in headbanging as the song climaxed. The fans screamed! I mean, they absolutely wailed! It was awesome to hear. With that Lower 13 packed up, and we adjourned to the patio. At some point in here we ran into Dennis Smith (Drums/Bittersweet Revenge). We headed out, did our thing and over the course, he broke out his phone and played us some brand new unheard BSR material. Alas, as we listened in we heard the tell tale sounds of activity coming from within the club. Parting ways with Dennis, we headed inside to catch the final band.

Closing out the evening was Public Squares. As it goes sometimes, we came in late, and joined the set on their second song. Here’s what we found out when we arrived. Public Squares is a three piece band built of Drums/Vocals, Guitar/Backing Vocals and Bass. They all wore different shirts inscribed with their logo: three overlapping squares. As their Drummer is also their singer, they had the kit set up at the front of the stage, which was pretty cool to see. It was also cool to hear, as it turns out, as Public Squares was kicking ass and taking names when I arrived. I have to say I was impressed by their Vocalist’s ability to sing while pummeling the skins; talk about endurance! Next to him the Bassist was laying it down smooth and slick. Throughout my notes I make numerous references to the grooving Bass lines that came pouring from the speakers. Meanwhile the Guitarist churned out a steady stream of Rockin’ chords and solos. Their social media page describes them as “New Wave Rippers.” Now I don’t know exactly what that means, but it IS a great way to describe their sound. They have a Punk/Indy/Alternative sort of blend going on that is fast and Rockin, but difficult to tack down. So I suppose “New Wave Rippers” works as well as any other descriptor I might invent. Anyway, they had solid stage presence, especially the Drummer who was extremely animated despite being seated behind his kit. They played a total of ten songs I believe, closing out with a number entitled “Interstellar Clouds.” The crowd cheered mightily, sending Public Squares off and letting them know they were greatly appreciated.

And just like that the evening was over. I bid my crew a fond farewell and headed for the door. Off onto the highways of northeast Ohio, I journeyed home. As is my custom, I reflected upon the evening. Lilieae had blown my mind with their energy. They were a lot of fun, and I’m glad I got to finally check them out. Fawx lived up to my memories from the last time I saw them. I love their Guitar style and the Punkish vibes they bring. Lower 13 has never let me down. I love their talent and style, and I especially enjoy the way they mix up the set list, always keeping the fans guessing. Finally Public Squares closed out the night in just the right way… with good songs and intense play. What else can I say? It had been a fantastic evening. A good buzz and good friends to share it with. Great bands playing excellent tunes all night, in a bitchin’ club with killer sound… That’s an ideal Friday, I do believe. I got home, crushed some pizza and passed out with the hum of the amplifiers still rattling around my ears. So here we are, another show down and another article written. I suppose I have eaten up enough of your life. It's time to bring this edition to a close. Thanks for reading and thanks for Rocking. Wear your damn earplugs and keep your horns in the air!

Until next time, Rock on, Rustbelt,

-Z.M. Delgado

Rustbelt Rock Review

Rustbeltrockreview.com

5/26/2025

Links:

Public Squares

https://publicsquares.bandcamp.com/

Lower 13

https://www.facebook.com/Lower13official/

Fawx

https://www.facebook.com/FAWXBAND/