At The Space: a night of rock and rhythm

Photos by Nick DiFazio/The Mirror

On April 30 at The Space in Hamden, Conn., TTNG, formerly This Town Needs Gun,  and Tera Melos took the stage for a night of rock and rhythm. Both bands are praised for their technical instrumentals and fresh melodies. The pairing was a dream come true for most fans.

“Dumbstruck. I couldn’t believe it when I heard they would be playing together in my town.” said a Hamden native before the show. “Nobody can compare to these guys.”

The UK-based TTNG opened up with a few tracks from “13​.​0​.​0​.​0​.​0,” its most recent album released in January. The band’s new vocalist and bassist, Henry Tremain, had no problem with the band’s older material and managed the crowd’s energy with his presence. He joked in between tracks about the maintenance of his handle bar mustache and the inconvenience of American electrical outlets.

Guitarist Tim Collis carried the tracks with his signature guitar riffs. His tasteful use of clean, tapped melodies drove the band’s unmistakable sound. Chris Collis rounded out the trio on drums. The powerful set ended with “Baboon,” a song from their 2009 release “Animals.” The crowd surged forward at the song’s first notes and chanted for an encore at the end.

Visibly grateful, TTNG closed its set and introduced the anticipated headliner Tera Melos.

Tim Collis of TTNG at The Space on April 30. Photo by Nick DiFazio/The Mirror

The bassist of the three-piece band hailing from Sacramento, Calif., Nathan Latona, entered first with a life-sized, hotdog headed, stuffed man. A staple at Tera Melos’ shows, the doll was propped front and center and the band proceeded immediately with tracks from its new album “X’ed Out.”

Tera Melos played for an hour with few breaks, improvising on most songs, unphased in the wake of technical mishaps.

The set alternated between the chaotic technicality of Tera Melos’ earlier works, and the smoother, more rhythmic tracks from its new album. A psychedelic effect-laced riff closed out the show.

Guitarist Nick Reinhart was optimistic when asked about the remainder of the tour. “It’s just great to be out and playing again,” he said.

The combined energy of both bands lingered on the crowd as people began to leave. Many stayed around to see and talk to the bands.

“That’s what was great about a place like this.” said a fan clad in TTNG gear. “The bands are right here with you, not on some far away stage.”

TTNG and Tera Melos will head to Philadelphia and Washington D.C. for their next shows.