* Toy Bombs, Paloma, Lucid Lions @ Vinyl Music Hall. 10/04/11

Born in the streets of Salt Lake City, Utah and cut by the sounds of Los Angeles, California, Toy Bombs are aiming to take over the Western Hemisphere one city at a time. The group recently dropped their indie-rock, live wire assault on Downtown Pensacola.

Opening group for the show were Lucid Lions. Featuring Tanner Hodges (one of the driving forces behind the “First Waltz” local music showcase at Vinyl Music Hall earlier this year) sharing vocals and guitar work with Brennan Barrow and Kevin Mooney joining on drums, Lucid Lions’ set provided dark edginess with subtle hints of blues and 60’s rock in their sonic brew.

Following Lucid Lions onstage were another local group, Paloma. With a full schedule that includes the release of their new CD, a performance at Georgia Tech to help promote Deluna Fest and their spot at this year’s music festival on Pensacola Beach, the members of Paloma (Aaron Finlay (drums), Giovanni Lugo (vocals/guitar), Hale Leal (bass) and Nathan Dillaha (guitar) continue to work hard and explore every untapped nuance of their unique sound and live performances.

Giovanni Lugo (vocals/guitar) expressed his thoughts on performing in a band that includes musicians that he admires both musically and personally. “I think if we’re in the right mindset, we’re confident in ourselves and confident in each other…at that point it’s a rush. The best way I can put it, it’s like four friends playing a video game at the same time. You’re going to get the very best of us at that time.”

With their recently released EP “Will Work For Free,” the men of Toy Bombs brought their Los Angeles groomed sound to Vinyl Music Hall. Originally from Salt Lake City and playing under the band name Kid Theodore, Cole Barnson (vocals, guitar) and Brandon McBride (guitar, vocals, keys) took their Utah roots and dipped them in the streets of Los Angeles forming their new creation, Toy Bombs. Using what they call a “rotating cast of masked musicians” the constantly touring duo have played on some of the most recognized music festival stages, including SXSW and the CMJ Festival.

With a set that immediately pushed the venue into maximum rock and pop status, Toy Bombs provided a non-stop rock n’ roll blitzkrieg for the downtown crowd.

Michael L. Smith