By Justice Petersen
IV Leader Columnist

On Nov. 8, I went up to Monarch Music Hall in Peoria to see two new up and coming bands: the Seratones and Dan Luke and the Raid. I love music and I am all for supporting new bands that are trying to make it.
I had never even heard of these two bands before and, at first, I was not expecting them to stick with me. I knew I would enjoy the show, and most likely get a t shirt, but I wasn’t expecting much else.
The concert took place at Monarch Music Hall in Peoria. It wasn’t a super big venue, and there were probably less than two hundred people attending. However, I did really like the atmosphere of the venue. There were tables where people could sit and it made the place look almost like a bar or a club with live music.
The band opening for the Seratones was Dan Luke and the Raid. I had never even seen pictures of this band before, and when they came out, they reminded me a lot of Weezer. If one were to see them out on the street, they probably would not expect them to be a rock band touring around the country.
Within seconds of them playing their first song, I was hooked. These guys sounded punk; they were Weezer, if Weezer existed in the 1960’s. Their sound was psychedelic, but with heavy distorted guitars and some slight new wave influence. I absolutely loved their sound and I was pleasantly surprised.
I am always on the hunt for new and unique bands, and Dan Luke and the Raid is what I have been looking for. They played songs from their debut album Out of the Blue. I recommend listening to “Golden Age,” “Disco is as Disco Does,” and especially “Black Cat Heavy Metal.” Dan Luke and the Raid is unique with an edge, and I think they are the band that speaks for any young college student who is just trying to get by.
Just when I thought the quality of sound from Dan Luke and the Raid could not be met, the Seratones performed. I believe the Seratones is what music today needs.
They’re a band from Louisiana with a powerful female lead singer and a sound that combines Jimi Hendrix and gospel. The group’s lead singer, AJ Haynes, was charismatic and free-spirited, bringing an energy to the stage that I find not a lot of current artists seem to bring anymore.
Their sound included loud guitars and keyboards, like a mix between the Doors and Aretha Franklin. The Seratones have a sound and an aesthetic that I have not seen in other bands today, and I hope they continue to gain popularity so that other artists may be inspired by them.
After the concert, I managed to get some pictures with the band, and I bought a shirt from the Seratones. Members from each band were incredibly sweet and friendly, and I believe that they are great musicians and good people who deserve to go far.
Not only are these bands incredibly entertaining and talented, but they obviously enjoy what they do. Both bands were able to engage with the entire audience, keeping them hooked for the entire show.
I am amazed at how incredible these bands are, and I am sure that we will be hearing more about them in the future. The Seratones, as well as Dan Luke and the Raid, are now my two new favorite bands.
I recommend others to not hesitate to listen to or go out and see new artists, especially if they are not that well-known. I also encourage people to support these new bands by listening to their music and buying their merchandise. One may never know if they just might be the next big thing.