Justin Nuoffer 
SLOTHRUST
4/18/24 – High Noon Saloon – Madison, WI
Photos + Review © Justin Nuoffer/Nuoffer Media
On a wet evening in Wisconsin’s capital city of Madison, a short line formed at one of the more unique venues, High Noon Saloon. The venue itself sits within a building that holds two restaurants and has a small courtyard where patrons gather and hang out during set changes. Once through the front door, the Western motif engulfs the entire room. Wooden walls, floors, bar, and stage. Old cowboy pictures hang above the bar. A saddle that the band even mentions sits above the crowd. Horseshoes hang nailed around the room. The name very much matches the vibe. As you walk past the check-in, which is two barrels, the stage is about 3 feet off the ground. Against the wall, a projection screen hangs with the Slothrust logo illuminating it.
The band itself mainly consists of vocalist/guitarist Leah Wellbaum and drummer/programmer Will Gorin. On this run their touring bassist is Annie Hoffman from the opening band Weakend Friends. Slothrust are no strangers to playing at the High Noon Saloon. They have previously played it twice before and once again the 250-person venue was packed and sold out. The fandom was pretty excited and the electric vibes filled the air.
Setting the tone instantly, the band took the stage and dove into “Surf Goth.” Ripping through the instrumental and heading into a well-known single “Cranium” the mood slowed and the crowd sang along. The lyrics felt like a therapy session that was needed on this rainy evening. Perhaps, the most impressive part of Slothrust is the impressive display of musical talent. The guitar solos are plenty, but the solo in “Cranium” hits the soul. The bluesy tone radiates. Just as that calming feeling starts to sink in the slow build-up of “The Next Curse” gets the blood flowing and then you get punched with the chorus. Once again the guitar skills are on point ripping through the solo while moving around the front of the small stage and back to the microphone to sing the Lzzy Hale vocal part. The powerful vocals were clear, clean and the same tone as recorded. The show mainly fell into four sections.
This main section is why most people came out. Leah Wellbaum introduced the band and announced, “We are going to play Of Course You Do in full for its 10-year anniversary. Enjoy.” The crowd erupted in loud applause. The dancing and singing were contagious as Slothrust went front to back on their classic album play. A few songs performed had the reaction “7:30 am” did. The track gained popularity as the intro to the FX TV show You’re The Worst. The crowd’s voices bounced off of the rustic walls and filled the air in harmony with the performance on stage.
Moving deeper into the celebration the soft string picking and smooth snare snaps by Will Gorin pushed the genuinely soft intro to “Magnets Pt1” into the grungy and dirtier sounding breakdown and without a moment’s notice they continued into “Magnets Pt.2.” The tone and sound adjusted slightly, but the overall feel was there and it was impressive as ever. The entire album could be placed back into the 1990s and it would fit. Slothrust had captured that enduring capsule of time and once again put it on stage. After their record play concluded, a small musical interlude of “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” with only the bass and drums rattling the floorboards.
Closing out the evening, a cover of “Pony” by Ginuwine and “Maybe, Maybe” off of their 2023 EP I Promise gave the crowd newer material to soak in while they built up to two of their set staples to finish off a wonderful evening. The fiery jazz and blues-influenced “Horseshoe Crab” is a quick hitter of pure mood. The content of self-exploration and disassociation arrives with a strong and short cadence, a perfect lead into the final performance piece of the evening. Slothrust tore through closer “Planetarium”. The balcony in the back of the room has fans standing up, leaning over the rails, and dancing. The floor, while packed, bounced around right in front of the stage. Sometimes the older more refined songs that made the band what it is will always connect.
Slothrust remains one of the rare musical outlets in the scene. They expertly mix genres across all spectrums of rock. The lyrical content is a fine combination of realism and at times snark. On stage, they are one of the more cohesive duos around. The ripping guitar solos and perfectly tuned snare snaps prove Slothrust is more than simply an art project. They are a breath of fresh air in an ever-so-dulling rock scene.
The fans leaving knew what they enjoyed was a perfect example of how much more effort artists should put into their art. The smiling faces and lines at the merch stand proved the message was received. In the end, attendees were treated to a show encompassing their most notable release in its entirety, 4 full-length albums, and 2 EPs. The lifespan of the group was well documented and praised along the way. Walking away one couldn’t have felt better and left fulfilled. All in all, another amazing performance of Slothrust at the High Noon Saloon.
Check out the concert photos gallery from the Slothrust show below:
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