The Like

Roxy - June 29, 2006

Live Review by Amber Henson

The Like: a band of girls so young you worry that maybe they’re out too late.  They’re part of a recent crop of bands made of under twenty-year-olds that includes the Arctic Monkeys.  In fact, lead singer Z Berg turned 19 on stage at the Roxy on June 29th, complete with cake and candles.

The three girls—Berg,  bassist Charlotte Froom, and drummer Tennessee Thomas (don’t they have just the most interesting names?)—are cute and having the time of their lives.  They’re up there on stage with none of that fatigue that starts to affect older bands.  As they play, they’re not only smiling, but they’re smiling with their teeth showing, as if they couldn’t stop if they wanted to.

The Like will remind you of The Donnas, but they say they’re influenced by the Sundays, Throwing Muses, and the Pretenders.  They’re rather ‘90s, although the vibe of the girls is straight out of the ‘70s.  And while they may look inexperienced, with Berg holding her guitar high on her body while she watches the fret changes, they sound like they’ve been doing this their whole lives (which, considering they’ve been at this for five years now, is a good fourth of their lives).

The crowd at the Roxy was politely respectful of the band for the first three songs, quietly nodding along as they listened.  But once their single, “June Gloom,” hit, everyone started bouncing, as tends to happen when singles are played.  Around this time, Froom’s microphone started sparking her when she tried to sing.  It made her appear as if she was tentative, but it was soon explained when she had her mic switched.  What’s funny about this band is that the hot girl bassist is in a band with other hot girls for once.

The Like played ten songs (their album, Are You Thinking What I’m Thinking? has thirteen tracks).  They finished up with “(So I’ll Sit) Waiting” a great song with a very mind-burrowing up-and-down melody, while the place smelled of burnt wax and frosting from Berg’s recently presented cake.  After a big hard ending, the three said an appreciative “Thank you!” and skedaddled off stage, hair shaking.