As the show was about to begin, J2M, also known as Joe2Morrow, welcomed audience members with a serenade consisting of intricate guitar playing and freestyle on the drums. With Joey Ferber on vocals and guitar and Zach Morrow on the drums, the music drew patrons of night two of the 2024 True/False Film Fest into Eastside Tavern’s Happy Hour.

Once 6 p.m. rolled around, the band began with some upbeat, attention-grabbing R&B freestyle  that set the tone for the night. After their opening song, Ferber and Morrow shared some brief background with the audience about their ongoing friendship, and how their band formed at True/False Film Fest in 2023.  

After a well-deserved round of applause from the audience, Morrow transitioned into their next song with jazzy percussion and Ferber joined in with some improvised electric guitar.

Throughout J2M’s set, the ambience of Eastside Tavern felt warm and welcoming as the crowd became more and more comfortable with the band. During one of their original songs, the lyric “I’m from St. Louis, Missouri” compelled several fans to respond with “rep St. Louis” and excited cheering. Morrow took a brief break in the middle of the song to express his enthusiasm about being from St. Louis. The audience adored his love for his hometown. 

Being from St. Louis myself, J2M did not disappoint when it came to representing the city. Their crafty tunes felt warm and inviting, and allowed listeners to appreciate their talent. Personally, I look for music that tells a story and gives the listeners a chance to take a glimpse into the artist’s life and experiences. And although only a few of their songs included lyrics, Ferber’s soothing guitar strumming and Morrow’s meticulous drum solos created conversational tunes that left me impressed.     

As their set came to an end, the band finished with a few drum solos by Morrow and more freestyle by Ferber. J2M closed with a shoutout to their producer Jon Crisp and promoted their first released project, “Joe 2 Morrow: Crisp producer cut vol. 1” that is sold only on cassette tape at Hitt Records.  

After a brief intermission and some technical difficulties, artist Tre. Charles brought a calm acoustic vibe to start out his set. His first couple of songs only consisted of some light guitar playing and drums, creating an ambience for the crowd to order drinks and talk amongst themselves. However, once Charles began to share his personal story about being a rising solo artist, the audience began to cheer and encourage him while playing.

Throughout his set, Charles shared his inspiration behind each song and how that led him to being a full-time artist. His songs varied from the topics of heartbreak, doubters and other personal experiences. As his set continued, the crowd empathized with him through applause and words of encouragement.  

Charles’ soulful style of music created a comforting atmosphere, allowing the audience to connect with his music and him as an artist. Hearing his difficult journey to becoming a solo artist prompted me to pay closer attention to the lyrics. Listening to his songs allowed me to take a journey with him and relate to his drawbacks. Charles’ lyrics kept me intrigued and his skillful guitar playing and chill vibe created a homelike ambience that felt comforting.      

Both J2M and Tre. Charles presented performances that created a warm and inviting atmosphere, allowing the audience to engage and connect with them as artists. It was evident that both artists made good impressions on Eastside Tavern on night two of the True/False Film Fest. 

Edited by Alex Goldstein | agoldstein@themaneater.com

Copy Edited by Briana Iordan | biordan@themaneater.com

Edited by Sophie Rentschler | srentschler@themaneater.com