Show Review: Signals Midwest, Five Hundred Bucks, Little Low, and Hey I'm Outside at Faces Brewing Co. in Malden, MA

Touring in support of their latest LP, Layovers, a collection of unreleased songs, B-sides, and rarities, Signals Midwest hit the stage in front of a sold-out crowd at Faces Brewing Co. on October 3 supported by tour-mates Five Hundred Bucks, local pop punk/emo rockers Little Low, and indie rockers Hey I’m Outside.

Kicking things off with their novel blend of alt-country and indie rock, Hey I’m Outside took the stage first, opening with the song “Crash,” a backwoods hootenanny of a track with a twanging riff that’s hard to excise from one’s head. “Did I hit that truck? Or did it hit us? It doesn’t make much of a difference does it,” drawled lead singer and guitarist Patrick McPherson, anchored by a strong rhythm section. Playing a handful of fan favorites from their self-titled LP Hey I’m Outside including “Racecar” and “Frontyard” as well as their new raucous single “Routine,” the band delivered a satisfying set on all fronts.

Featuring members of Save Ends, Beartrap, and No Trigger and ripping through a frenetic and emotive suite of songs from their stellar debut album Sunshine Guilt, Little Low then took the stage, fronted by singer-songwriter and guitarist Christine Atturio. Highlights included the introspective and hooky single “Shade of Gray” as well as a crowd-pleasing cover of the ‘90s classic “Good” by Better Than Ezra just for good measure. They also debuted a memorable and infectious new song “Hems” from their latest release, a split with Boston-based heavy emo rockers Unseemlier.

Next up were melodic punkers Five Hundred Bucks, who ripped through a set that Signals Midwest singer and guitarist Maxwell Stern aptly labeled “a punk rock fever dream” in support of their latest album Pest Sounds. “I’ve got medical bills that I’ll never pay. I’ve got the weekend. I’ve got a job that I hate,” sang guitarist Jeff Riddle. The sentiments were relatable, and the stage banter was ludicrous as the band delivered a chaotic set of earworms.

As Signals Midwest took the stage, Stern pointed out that this was their largest sold-out crowd they had ever played for in the Boston area. Standouts from their rousing set included “Two Magnets” from Layovers as well as a fist-pumping encore featuring the memorable pop punk breakdown intro of “You’re Gonna Be Golden.” Between Faces Brewing Co. in Malden and Deep Cuts in Medford, there are some excellent established stages to see touring indie rock bands in the greater Boston area, and shows like this one are testaments to that fact.