Music

Hot Water Music highlights a busy Vegas Music Summit schedule

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Ragan (second from right) and his Hot Water Music bandmates
Marco Krenn
Chris Bitonti

What could be more rock ’n’ roll than an educational panel on social media campaigns? While to the impossibly jaded it may seem antithetical to the spirit of rock to focus on the business aspects of the art form, it’s impossible to ignore that the music industry has changed (even collapsed) rapidly, and trying to understand its inner workings can be vital to a nascent act.

Last weekend’s Vegas Music Summit provided a chance for local musicians, songwriters and producers to gain knowledge on the current state of the music industry or even a refresher course for the already informed. The summit featured two days of music, media and educational panels Downtown, a speaker series and even a breakfast with Chuck Ragan of Hot Water Music and Kevin Lyman, creator of the Vans Warped Tour. But most enticing of all was the Thursday-night showcase at Fremont Country Club, boasting one of my favorite lineups of the year: The Flatliners, Dave Hause and Hot Water Music.

For fans of early-2000s punk and post-hardcore, it was a home run. The showcase’s crowd, open not just to summit attendees but to anyone interested, grew throughout the night, filling to about two-thirds capacity, more than enough to get a solid pit churning. Toronto’s Flatliners opened the show with a solid set of melodic punk. The Canadians rockers don’t fit the typical mold of a Fat Wreck Chords group but have been successfully gaining steam and building a fanbase over the past few years. It’s easy to see why; the band’s songs are instantly singable and full of self-deprecating lyrical hooks. The Flatliners are an example of where the genre is moving, alongside similar rising acts like The Menzingers and Title Fight.

Next up was Hause, formerly of The Loved Ones and one of the leaders of the acoustic-punk revival. Frequently a solo performer these days, Hause shook up his usual show by inviting his 21-year-old brother, Tim, to join him onstage as a multi-instrumentalist. Hause beamed with brotherly love throughout his performance but also paused for some friendly sibling-berating of Tim, for leaving their gear in San Diego the night before. (The brothers’ friends in Hot Water Music lent them some of theirs for the summit.) Hause’s passion-infused punk transcends the distortion and speed that so frequently defines the genre. His set pulled from both Resolutions and Devour, including fan favorites like “Time Will Tell” and “C’mon Kid.”

The evening’s main event was Hot Water Music, and for good reason. The Gainesville, Florida, natives are celebrating their 20th year, and frontman/road warrior Chuck Ragan has been a tentpole for the scene, not only through HWM but also by connecting musicians through the Revival Tour. He’s a fitting choice for a summit on how to build a lasting career in the modern music industry.

Hot Water Music’s set was solid as always, full of past favorites like “Remedy” and “Trusty Chords” and more recent off 2012’s Exister. Somehow the road seems to have strengthened, rather than not diminished, Ragan’s growl. He sounds better than ever these days, which makes me think he should lead a panel on the subject next year.

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