Friday night I found myself inside of SoulShine Pizza, attending Lightning 100’s weekly live broadcast with the rest of my band, Diamond Carter. We were in the audience because the DJ was scheduled to promote that day’s Music City Mayhem’s contestants, and we were one of the acts. As I heard my band on the radio for the second time ever, I felt the precise reaction that I felt the first time: a state of disbelief followed by a slowly formed, lingering smile. After they played our song, Adam Culver, the lead singer of The Future, came up to speak with us. He was immediately friendly and humble, failing to even indicate that his band was going to be playing in about thirty minutes. He epitomized what I’ve come to love about the Nashville music scene. There is a tight knit community of musicians that shares gigs, stories, and secrets with one another that replaces the sense of competition, rivalry, and malice that has come to plague other music scenes. It’s a nice change from Los Angeles, to say the least.
The Future impressed me before they even got on stage. The DJ for Lightning 100 held a beer chugging contest for tickets to see Seth Meyers, and The Future’s guitarist, Jordan Culver, was one of the contestants. Jordan won by a mile, but the fact that he entered the contest in the first place showed me enough. Bands that interact with the crowd before a show are a refreshing thing to see.
Disclaimer: it doesn’t take a lot to get me to dance at shows. Give me a good groove, and you’ve pretty much got me. What really captures my attention is a talented singer and thought-provoking lyrics. The Future plays with an indie-pop style that emphasizes space and focuses a great deal on the vocals. Adam Culver sings with a falsetto tone that provides a haunting, yet captivating melody to an already enthralling bass, drum, and guitar background. The main element that sets this band apart is the amount of energy that they each bring to the stage. It is infectious.
Adam has exactly what it takes to be a successful front man. He has the ability to entertain, but he is not out to entertain. He is entertaining simply because he is doing what he loves, and it is that enjoyment that so energetically transfers to the audience. Adam’s feet are constantly moving during his set, and the band grooves right along with him. If you’ve ever been curious about how a band interacts off stage, watch them as they perform together. The Future is so comfortable on stage that you can’t help but smile and dance in the crowd. Watching a positive relationship on stage leads to a positive feeling in the mind of an audience member, no matter what the style of music.
If you’re looking for an enlightening show from a band full of promise, don’t miss these guys. With their enthusiasm, talent, and genuine ability to connect to their audience, they are going to be a real band to watch for in the future.
– Cameron
Lockeland Springsteen 