The night before Thanksgiving is always a night of friends and family reuniting and going out to celebrate. Many of those chose to spend their evening at Rhinegiest Brewery in Over-The-Rhine drinking beers and listening to the heartwarming synth-pop of Cincinnati’s own Moonbeau.
For those who haven’t seen or heard of Moonbeau,imagine an 80’s John Hughes movie that reaches its climax of the story. Most likely at the school dance where Molly Ringwald’s character meets the guy she’s always been searching for. Well, that band in the background playing the school dance could be Moonbeau.
The combination of synth from keyboardist Claire Muenchen and song structure can echo the emotion of the Cure and Tears for Fears with the pop choruses of any 80’s one-hit wonder.
Built as solo project for front man Christian Gough of another Cincinnati indie rock group The Yugos, Moonbeau could hold their own as his main focus. Gough who plays guitar and sings was truly an enjoyable experience to watch command the stage.
Looking like Bruce Springsteen during the Born in the USA tour with his guitar on his back and pants cuffed up high, Gough was able to draw much of the crowd through his anthemic choruses and stage presence. Adding to the 80’s Springsteen comparison, there were definitely a few times where Gough broke into the Dancing in the Dark dance, all he needed to do was pull someone up on stage to dance with him.
Moving away from the many 80’s inspired comparisons, Moonbeau is in no way dated they have found a way to revitalize that sound and make it their own. With inspiration from indie bands like the Killers and Arcade Fire, Moonbeau’s songs built with a slow crescendo and catchy beat into these songs that felt bigger than the stage they were on.
Moonbeau recently released their first studio album self-titled Moonbeau. The band played the entire track list along with their singles from 2017 Are We In Love Yet? and ending on In Your Lifetime which was a personal favorite of their performance Wednesday evening.
Moonbeau recently started a tour, and if you’re looking for an evening of upbeat music that makes you forget about the realities of the world, Moonbeau will give you an hour and a half of bliss and fun.
