Review: Miranda and The Beat at Fleetwood's

In early March on a clear and pleasantly mild evening, concertgoers seemed to be in an open and eager space to enjoy the remainder of their Sunday "Funday" as Fleetwood’s in West Asheville hosted the NYC-based band Miranda and The Beat. These dynamic artists ushered in a sleek and scintillating storm — one that passed through with a little friction and some technical glitches, but was nonetheless exciting. 

Surrounded by walls generously illuminated in red, the audience was gifted something to move and groove to, courtesy of healthy portions of classic American sounds. Sonically, this band spouts a little blues/soul and undoubtedly punk, which is then dropped into a big old goodie bag of rock ‘n roll. 

Miranda Zipse herself primarily represented on lead electric guitar and vocal, backed by Farfisa organ, some tambourine, bass, and, of course, drums. Grabbing everyone’s attention failed to be an issue, as the room was nearly as stuffed as you can get for a fairly tame Sunday evening.

The performance was not lacking in distortion nor ambition, as one would expect from a headliner at a Rock ‘n Roll Wedding Chapel. The distortion plus minor temporary instrument and sound glitches did at times overpower and detract from Zipse’s gritty, Joan Jett-esque vocals, but they didn’t take away from the overall execution.

Playing bass, Alvin Jackson grooved while rocking his dreads, while on drums Ethan Glenn kept an essential rhythm. Dylan Fernandez certainly added a distinct soul element to the tapestry with his mini-electric organ, in addition to some tambourine shakes. For at least one tune, Fernandez actually took over guitar for what was arguably an even more definitive turn into classic punk rock, allowing Zipse more room and freedom to utilize the stage and its surroundings.

The live show did plenty of justice to the band’s recorded work. Each musician seemed to enjoy what they are doing, which is always refreshing and even invigorating during a live show. My main wish was that the band was able to stay on a little longer, for their show ended a bit abruptly and early for my taste.

Miranda and The Beat may not be quite headlining arenas at this point — but they don’t need to. This is the perfect band for intimate rock and punk venues and for people trying to unleash, unwind, and have a good time out on the town.

(Photo by Kevin Evans)