Crobot at Webster Hall's Marlin Room

Brandon Yeagley

Vocalist Brandon Yeagley from the coal-regions of Central Pennsylvania and guitarist Chris Bishop from Eastern Tennessee met through a band audition. They formed a band and one night they were performing at Bar 46 in Hackettstown, New Jersey. Two brothers, bassist Jake Figueroa and drummer Paul Figueroa, lived upstairs above the bar. They heard Yeagley singing downstairs. Even through the muffled din of the bar below, Yeagley's voice had so much clarity and presence that the brothers went downstairs to investigate. Bishop was shredding guitar riffs and Yeagley was twisting and gyrating on stage. The four musicians became fast friends. Before long, Bishop invited the Figueroas to join Yeagley and him in Crobot. Crobot released one album, 2012's, The Legend of the Spaceborne Killer, recorded before the Figueroa brothers were in the band; the current line-up is scheduled for a 2014 follow-up.

The hard-touring Crobot opened for Kyng at Webster Hall's Marlin Room tonight (the original headliner Kill Devil Hill cancelled) and demonstrated why the band is getting strong word-of-mouth. Drenched in 1970s blues-rooted hard rock, the band sounded like it was headlining the original Woodstock festival. Crobot played a dynamic groove-heavy riff-rock with boundless flash and energy. Fast-moving Yeagley was a riveting front person and a powerhouse with soaring, elastic vocals. Bishop alternated between funky riffs and whiz-band licks; hopefully in the future the songs will be stretched out a bit more to allow him more space to steal the spotlight. Jake Figueroa's bass playing was smooth and steady, often harboring around the low frequencies, providing extra heaviness while Bishop wailed on a higher guitar register. Crobot is a hard rock band that will be going places very quickly.

Visit Crobot at www.crobotband.com.