Tuesday, January 28, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

R-JENERATION: Juliana Theory brings plenty of emotion and passion to the stage

Brett Detar, the lead singer of Juliana Theory, impresses his fans. Photo by Rachel Hommel/R-JENERATION

Another review, in another time and place. This time it was the Juliana Theory at the Huntridge. They played with The Exit, a New York City band, and with local band Farewell to Friends. The bands were emo, so it was a wonderfully emotional night.

The last time I saw Farewell to Friends at the Castle, they sounded similar to Dashboard Confessional. Well, things haven't changed much. They are still trying to copy the sound, but hey, look where it's got them.

The next band, The Exit, was so ... different. The band had a Jimi Hendrix look-alike guitarist, a sexy bass player, judging by the audience's reactions, and a drummer who looked like he was straight out of "Freaks and Geeks." The bass player and guitarist thrust themselves all over the stage, and their harmonies were unique. They brought world peace and punk music together for a great blend of music genius.

"Besides the annoying girls behind us, I could still fully appreciate the smooth lyrics of The Exit," said sophomore Ian Cruz of Bishop Gorman High School.

After they finished playing, I hopped my way over a barrier in anticipation of Juliana Theory. The set could be described in one word: passionate. They had the stage presence of the Hives, but the vocals were not up for comparison. Brett Detar, the lead singer, was all over the place and definitely in your face. About 20 minutes into the show, he jumped off the stage and fell into the arms of adoring fans. He gave all he could to the fans, especially a nice view of his package. I mean, wow, he was wearing tight, lace-up pants. But that's besides the point, now isn't it?

"I love Juliana Theory for two reasons," said Samantha Ashton, a senior at Silverado High School. "One is the simple fact that they are rock stars. Secondly, they have variety. Each of their songs sounds like a completely different band."

After playing their last song before an encore, they let the fans sweat it out, only to come back acoustic. They were put on this earth to sing the beautiful "August in Bethany." If you've just ended a relationship, beware; it's sad and makes you realize how much that person meant to you:

"Everything you said lives on. I cherish our memories. I want to kiss your tears away tonight. It's hard to give up, the one you never thought you'd leave."

After regaining my self-esteem, I walked around following the show and got a chance to talk to Brett of Juliana Theory. He said he had fun and that the crowd was "energized." I would think that with such deep, meaningful and beautiful songs, he would have a little more to say. But that wouldn't discourage me.

I also talked to Ben Brewer, from The Exit. He was the most amazing, high-spirited guy I've met in a long time. He told me about his childhood, the bands he played in during high school and that yes, Jimi Hendrix did inspire him. I asked him about his amazing stage presence.

"I've been in several bands over the years, and I've realized you just need to stop caring," he said. "I don't worry about what people think of me anymore. You have to do what makes you happy."

So, all in all, a great night. The fans were rather dull, but thankfully no one started moshing. However, I realized band frontmen seem to front in real life, too. Well, at least Detar was good eye candy, and his emotions outdid mine, point blank. That's just my theory.