The 2016 Underground Music Showcase blew through South Broadway leaving thousands of fans behind with their heads spinning over the course of four days. We decided to take the path less taken and went for acts unknown. C=T would like to give the “Spirit Award” to Church Fire. It’s a damn shame that they performed during broad daylight. The “Please Get Your Foot Off My Throat” award goes to Thee Oh Sees. The brash rocker act slayed the Goodwill Stage and ripped up any semblance of the stage in the process.

It wouldn’t be the UMS if there wasn’t the local acts that fill out the lineup extensively. I peeked in on psych act, Sunboy at the 3 Kings Tavern and it turned out to be one of the best sets I attended. Only to be rivaled by Church Fire at the Irish Rover. The duo studied well from the book of Crystal Castles, but only the good parts that don’t involve being too self aware.

The Bright Light Social Hour made a great case for their place on the big stage, noodling through jams to a well sedated crowd. Despite the lack of star power this year, the headliners pulled their weight with no frills sets that took a blue collar approach to winning over fans.