Two buzz bands brought the heat to the eclectic up and coming Columbus bar and venue Double Happiness recently. JMSN and Sir Sly certainly know how to put on a show.

JMSN, despite having a larger fanbase (per their Facebook page) played first. The ambience of the venue made for a challenging (photo) shoot, but suited the dark vibe of the band, which at times had R&B like song structures. Songs of heartache and related issues from the band’s debut Priscilla permeated the set. The tunes are obviously very personal to JMSN brainchild Christian Berishaj, who wrote and produced the album Priscilla comepletely by himself. The vibes seemed to envelop the dark confines of the small performance space, and those in attendance seemed to reciprocate appropriately.

Sir Sly of LA played one of the most engaging and fun sets I’ve seen all year, appropriately on a much better lit stage. With five people onstage, and many floor toms and keyboards complimenting the traditional rock setup the space was quite crowded. This was the band’s first time performing in Columbus, and they seemed to win over the couple dozen that stuck around after JMSN for them. The vibe  of these guys is similar to a darker Paper Route, with a bit of Mark Foster-esque vocals sprinkled in. The band has only a three song release out currently but needless to say I can hardly wait after hearing this set. These guys engaged me in much the same way that Leagues did at Rumba Cafe a couple weeks ago. The band wasn’t super charismatic because they didn’t need to be – the music completed the sensory experience enough that I didn’t need much else in that moment. Sir Sly could blow up if they get the right exposure. This evening certainly made that possibility look promising.