One thing that I love about music is its spontaneity. The ability to completely surprise and shift me, to the point where I can feel it in my bones that this night and this concert will be cathartic. 

A lot plays into how a concert will go for me —  how much my feet hurt from walking to a far venue, if I’ve eaten and drank water that day and if a tall man decides to stand in the front row blocking my view. 

In past shows held at Rose Music Hall, these components have led me to dislike a show, but not on night three of the True/False Film Fest at the Saturday Night Rose Showcase. That night, I was revived. 

True/False 2024 saw many talented performers across the weekend, and at the Saturday Night Rose Showcase, three groups performed from 9 p.m. to 12:45 a.m., an incredibly long and late show. The three groups — Valebol, Thao and Good Looks — each performed for around an hour, allotting time in between sets to fix gear, gather many wires and set up for the next group of artists. 

Valebol

V.V. Lightbody, the lead vocalist, wore a flowy green dress with two space buns in her hair in the front of the stage. Daniel Villarreal-Carrillo sat with the drums in the back of the stage, and wore a blue suit jacket with funky glasses and his curly brown hair down, bouncing from underneath a wide-brim fedora hat. 

The difference in the ways they chose to present themselves on stage is easily compared to the music that was being produced by both performers. Lightbody singing into her mic while shaking a maraca, her voice airy and dreamy, calmed me and brought a sense of peace in a loud, small concert venue. Then, amid my trance with Ligthbody, I would be woken up by the energetic drumming from Villarreal-Carrillo which kept me feeling alive and attentive. 

This layering between the two artists’ unique style, which was placed so strategically in their songs, wasn’t overwhelming like most layering is in music now. Watching this bounce between the two artists was engaging for the audience as well, and set up the tone for the rest of the show. The duo from Chicago sings in both English and Spanish, creating a more intriguing atmosphere with their lyrics.

Thao

Up next was Thao, backed by other True/False guest musicians on backup vocals, including Lightbody. Tonina was on bass guitar and Nona Invie on keyboard. The mashup of performers added to the uniqueness of hearing Thao’s set live for the first time. Thao took the lead and her eccentric music style brought the crowd to life. 

Multiple times throughout her set, Thao came forward toward the crowd and stood on a large bass speaker at the edge of the stage, eliciting many cheers and screams from the crowd. Also, with Thao’s tendency to engage with the other musicians on stage, like Jacob Somerscales on drums or Tonina, from the audience, I could tell Thao found joy in sharing the stage with other talented musicians. 

Thao and the group of musicians did so well during their set that when they announced the end of their set before the last three songs, I had forgotten that this concert wasn’t just about Thao. It was a little sad that she would be leaving the stage.

Good Looks

By the time Good Looks came on stage, the audience had fizzled out a little, but the band of four still held my attention with lead vocalist, Tyler Jordan starting their set off. 

A total of three guitars took the heavy lead in many of their songs, a bit of a contrast between Thao’s set. Jordan’s voice throughout the set sounded almost a bit grainy and low, but his lyricism was impactful too. “Balmorhea,” for example, is a song about wanting to be loved by someone. The song had me swaying, staring at Jordan as the lyric, “Without you here, it’s an easy way to feel let down,” poured out of his mouth. 

Then, just as I was getting comfortable, Good Looks would strike loudly on a guitar or drums, and I’d be back to jumping up and down along with lead guitarist Jake Ames up on stage. 

As Good Looks announced their last song, and then gave a toast to the crowd signaling the end of the show, I felt like no time had passed, and I expected another act to come onto stage. I guess I just wasn’t ready to leave at 12:45 a.m. 

While at the show, I met some girls dancing next to me and we walked back to our dorms. Together we perfectly described the sublime feeling we were collectively feeling: that we were inspired and wanted the True/False Film Fest to never end. 

Edited by Annie Goldman | agoldman@themaneater.com

Copy edited by Sterling Sewell | ssewell@themaneater.com 

Edited by Scout Hudson | shudson@themaneater.com