Airborne Toxic Event makes V Day ’14 a night to remember

The Airborne Toxic Event, a Californian indie rock band, filled the Fillmore with an upbeat, high-energy performance to a tight crowd– just the thing needed for Valentine’s Day 2014.

Lead singer Mikel Jollett opened the set with a sweet-tempered “Happy Valentine’s Day.”

Later in the set however, he said, “I find it ironic how you’re at an Airborne Toxic Event concert on Valentine’s Day.”

Airborne Toxic Event opened the show with “Wishing Well,” an interesting song chose on a day dedicated to love. The lyrics “And I cry in my sleep, and I tear up your letters, and I burn them in heaps” made for a boldly heavy entrance. Ear-tingling guitar strums, violin and kick drum combo matched the intesnsity of the song lyrics.

Anna Bulbrook’s talent on violin always brings a unique sound compared to other bands in the genre. This proved to be brilliant during the band’s performance of “Half of Something Else,” a light feeling song about a found and lost relationship. The texture of the violin, paired with her backing lyrics, brought in a more romantic atmosphere.

Frequently throughout the show, Jollett threw guitar picks into the crowd. Late in the set, he jumped up on top of the barricade and held onto a friendly fan’s hand for an entire song. Jollett commented about security’s reaction. According to the look on their faces they were saying, “oh, you’re just a crazy guy,” said Jollett.

Jollett has an interesting sound to his voice. A country vibe can be found in songs like “Papillion” and even more so, in “Hell & Back,” a song featured in the motion picture Dallas Buyers Club.

The crowd found the peak of the good time during the band’s performance of “Hell & Back.” Fans put up their hands, clapped and sung to the beat with “na na na’s.”

After their last song, Airborne Toxic Event projected the classic Detroit “D” to the curtains behind them, a good finish to the show.

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