The DIY house show scene in Syracuse has been thriving since August 2021, with more bands and venues competing for the largest audience. Rhodes Corduroy’s high-energy, quality-filled shows have catapulted them to popularity within the DIY scene, culminating in their polished performance at Ottothon. As an active member of the music scene in Syracuse, I usually perform at the shows, so it was a treat to observe from the perspective of an audience member.

The lineup for the concert consisted of four acts, St. Luke, Rhodes Corduroy, Nancy Dunkle, and Mnemonic Advice. The spacious basement venue provided a refreshing contrast to the usual cramped house concert experience, with a well-planned layout and a drinks station located in the back left corner. The speakers sounded surprisingly good compared to the poorly mixed and overly loud PAs that audiences have come to expect from a basement show.

Unlike the other basement bands who played mainly covers, Rhodes Corduroy showcased their originals, such as “Always Have/Always Will,” “Starring,” and “Busy Street” during their set. The energy in the room was incredibly positive and it was hard to miss the smiles across the faces of the crowd as they danced around. The band, comprised of Aidan Labella (bass and lead vocals), Cooper Lang (guitar and backup vocals), Zach Franze (guitar and backup vocals), and Mitch Weisz (drums) executed a perfectly practiced performance.

Labella’s nonchalant coolness was apparent whether he talked, played, or stood on stage. Lang’s guitar work and backup vocals became more prominent after the first song, “Always Have/Always Will”, when he increased the level on his amplifier after someone in the crowd held up a sign on their phone saying, “Turn up the guitars.” Franze’s guitar complimented that of Lang’s, and his subtle voice perfectly filled up the rest of the space. And to tie it all up, Weisz’s impressive rhythms on the drums kept the crowd bumping and the beat moving. Their considerable skill was particularly apparently on an impressive cover of Jimi Hendrix’s “Fire,” where Franze nailed the guitar lead.

It wasn’t all fun and games though: Rhodes Corduroy’s live performance also featured a few songs with real emotional weight. For instance, their original song, “Mean Young Mystery Man,” tells the story of a failing relationship. Both the man and woman have past experiences that stand in the way of happiness. The man is afraid of change and projects a false bravado while the woman perceives him as the “Mean Young Mystery Man”, due to her past experiences.

Rhodes Corduroy’s Ottothon performance perfectly captured the essence of what makes the DIY scene in Syracuse so exceptional – a cool band delivering an energetic set in a university neighborhood house. Judging by the enthusiastic reception from the crowd, the DIY scene in Syracuse is poised to thrive post-pandemic, and who knows – maybe Rhodes Corduroy will even break out of the basement and into the limelight.