When Communities Prevail: Elevated Undergrounds Album Release Show at Soulbelly

By Savino Rojas

The Vegas music scene has historically waxed and waned, regularly approaching but never meeting the strength needed to be reliable and ongoing (besides the always-present hardcore scene). For several years this has been the case, however, the recent surge of talent has proven to have some much-needed staying power. That talent and a newfound sense of community was the heart and soul of Elevated Undergrounds’ recent album release show at Soulbelly, a show that prevailed against the odds.

On Saturday, September 2nd, at the tail end of a particularly vicious monsoon season, Elevated Undergrounds planned to celebrate their debut album release at the outdoor venue, Ferguson’s Downtown. An album aptly named, “Drowning Spree,” as mother nature stormed on and flooded most of Vegas throughout the days prior. With Ferguson’s no longer being a valid venue, a last-minute decision was made to move the show to the safe, BBQ-laden interior of Soulbelly.

Against the odds, the show pressed on. This testament to the band and Black Sheep Booking’s dedication was met with equal testament by the fans because, despite the 11th-hour complications, attendees flocked in through the inclement weather and packed the hybrid restaurant/concert venue wall to wall. This was a crowd that, despite its size, had a strong sense of camaraderie and community. The audience was a sea of familiar faces, most being regular show attendees, but also many being members of other local acts who came out to support Elevated Undergrounds’ new release. This included members from Pure Sport, Rose Levee, Machine Death, Post NC, and more. Elevated Undergrounds’ efforts in the music scene all culminated in one big family gathering that night at Soulbelly, and the warm energy the crowd brought was matched and heightened by each and every act.

Opening the show, Sunday Mourning envigorated the audience with a rowdy set containing several switch-offs between members; passing around instruments and vocal mics as each contributor’s talents were highlighted. This spark was baton passed to Style Cramps, who geared up the crowd even further with shout-along gang vocals and electrifying performances. An opening this boisterous would typically seem out of place for Elevated Undergrounds. This evening, however, would be the debut of Elevated Undergrounds’ new lineup and give fans a peek into the new direction the band is moving toward. The band stepped onto the stage, joined by two new faces; Alexander Vera on bass and Spencer Hinton covering guitar, synth, and backup vocals. This new Elevated Undergrounds was heavier and louder than they’ve ever been, a bold new sound that fans in the audience ate up and begged for more. As screams for an encore roared from the crowd, Elevated surprised everyone with an impromptu cover of System of a Down’s “Toxicity,” further cementing the band’s aggressive new sound. Following Elevated Undergrounds and closing out the evening was the recently debuted post-hardcore band Haphazard. Acting as the proverbial wind-down ending of the rollercoaster that was this show, Haphazard perfectly transitioned from hard-hitting, scream-vocal openers to cerebral, slow-burning instrumental passages that closed out the night. 

September 2nd at Soulbelly was a night celebrating the efforts of Elevated Undergrounds, however, it was also a celebration of the community that had built around the band and in the scene as a whole. With love and support, fans came together to overcome all obstacles and danced along to veteran and rookie bands alike, a sign of what Vegas bands have done so far and what’s to come. The Vegas music scene is here and isn’t showing any signs of slowing down.