December 8th’s Redgate show from Rhodes Corduroy and Mimicking Mars proved their eligibility as Syracuse’s next rock legends.

Words by Callan Nagel-Dubin / Graphic by Maxine Moses

Syracuse is a far cry from its former blues/rock scene glory days, but after bearing witness to sets by Mimicking Mars and Rhodes Corduroy at Redgate’s loosely Christmas-themed December 8th show, one might just say that hope is very much still warranted. Mimicking Mars tied together elements of classic rock, blues, and modern rock effortlessly and with a virtuosity that far surpasses their ages as individuals and as a group. Rhodes Corduroy knows better than most how to work a crowd, and the secret to turn even the most unengaged concert-goers into dedicated fans. The sets from both bands were some of the best Redgate has seen so far.

Mimicking Mars has been a band since before some of its members even began attending SU; however, they have exploded onto the SU Reeperbahn in the past couple of months despite only recently debuting on campus. Playing classic venues like The Lost Horizon and Funk ‘n Waffles, they have become well acquainted with the music scene in Syracuse in a remarkably short amount of time. Is it any wonder how this is so? Their set at Redgate on December 8th provided clear evidence to answer why.

Their sound as a group was intensely tight and well-rehearsed. Each band member seemed to be locked in with one another, communicating effectively with nothing but body language and musical cues. Despite it being their first show with bassist Darius Baharlo, crowd members who didn’t know that would be completely unaware – Baharlo gelled with the rest of Mimicking Mars as if he had always been a part of the band. While each member added greatly to the band’s overall coherence, one member specifically stood out. James Dawson’s lead guitar playing was entirely remarkable. He is certainly one of the best guitarists in Syracuse, and his ability to dexterously season any song with a healthy dose of blues and soul was evident. There were moments when even the rowdiest and most inebriated members of the audience froze in awe of his skill.

Mimicking Mars played a variety of songs, including a cover of the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Under The Bridge” that RHCP-enthusiast Baharlo comfortably aced on the bass. While the group played a consistently great set, one of the highlights was the debut performance of their new single, “Jessica,” during which the enthusiasm for the group’s new release was felt in both the audience and on stage.

Mimicking Mars ended their set at around 11:30 p.m., and Rhodes Corduroy took the stage shortly thereafter. Rhodes Corduroy are practically established Syracuse idols at this point, taking the stage by storm both this year and last. One knows they are in for a high-energy act whenever seeing an RC show, but their performance at Redgate stood out as a particularly great night. The charisma of lead singer Aidan LaBella ensured the audience was immediately on board for a rough and loud show, and the rest of the members followed suit keeping the energy high. Their set began with a cover of “Fire” at a tempo that even Hendrix himself wouldn’t dare attempt. While an intimidating task for any drummer trying to emulate Mitch Mitchell, Rhodes’ drummer Mitch Weisz shared more in common with Hendrix’s drummer than only a first name – his chops on the kit were proven right out of the gate with this opening tune.

“Fire” was a fitting opener as the temperature of the basement climbed in heat and humidity. A fine mist of sweat and smoke engulfed the room as Rhodes’ set continued. While a large portion of their set consisted of covers, it was not for lack of solid original material to accompany it. Their now-classic song “Mean Young Mystery Man” pleased the crowd as always, and the relatively new “Always Have Always Will” was a hit as well, beginning with a profane remark from LaBella, declaring that Rhodes Corduroy “has always been about one thing: not giving a fuck. We never have, and never will.”

This mindset fits squarely within the band’s overall rough-around-the-edges aesthetic of positive chaos. An aesthetic that was reinforced by the band’s attire, which included guitarist Cooper Lang’s theme-appropriate Santa hat and sunglasses, and a Black Sabbath t-shirt on guitarist Zach Franze.

Rhodes Corduroy has undoubtedly grown as a group since they first entered the SU music scene. As musicians, they seem tighter and more self-assured, and as entertainers, far more confident and in control of their audience. They know how to command attention and when to pull out all of the stops.

Both Mimicking Mars and Rhodes Corduroy put on engaging and musically rich shows that serve as a testament to both groups’ ability as musicians. We don’t know how much longer they’ll stay in Syracuse, but wherever they go, they’re destined to make it big.