By Kris Alvarez
Correspondent
Ace Enders, the lead singer and guitarist for the pop-punk band The Early November, returned to the Rathskeller on Friday, Oct. 11 for yet another phenomenal all-acoustic set.
Prior to Enders’s appearance, Jonathan Cooney of solo project No Stranger helped set the tone for the rest of the show. Cooney performed an array of melodic acoustic tracks from both his demos and his soon-to-be self-funded EP.
Afterward, Enders took the stage. His set included songs not only from The Early November, but also pieces from his acoustic side project, I Can Make A Mess Like Nobody’s Business.
Enders has played acoustic sets at the Rat in previous years. But after The Early November reunited from their 2006 hiatus and released a new LP in 2012 off Rise Records entitled “In Currents,” fans were able to hear some of the songs off the album live for the very first time, including “Frayed in Doubt.”
“Enders put on a highly interactive show,” junior marketing major Jon Santangelo said. “He was friendly and comical throughout the show, and of course his voice was perfect, as always.”
Veteran fans of Enders’s music got to hear older tracks ranging from “Ever So Sweet” to “1000 Times A Day,” leaving them in a state of nostalgia for Enders’s earlier years as the frontman for The Early November.
“Enders was such a powerful performer for such a small venue,” junior history major Mike Cort said. “Seeing Ace Enders, who has been in the music business for so long, taking requests and telling little stories about his songs was a very humbling experience to have.”
Enders and The Earlier November will be performing a two-show tour for the 10-year anniversary release of “The Room’s Too Cold” on Wednesday, Dec. 18 at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City and Saturday, Dec. 21 at Union Transfer in Philadelphia. The album will be played from cover to cover in its entirety.
But, for some fans, seeing Enders perform in the cozy environment of the Rat was just as rewarding as having the full-band experience.
