Sean Bones at the Jackpot

​Energy feeds energy. Forgive the New Age connotations, but when it comes to a rock show, the platitudes are true: the more you give, the more you’re going to get. This is why the Sean Bones show on Wednesday night at the Jackpot was less than stellar. It wasn’t any fault of the band – well, not really. It’s the fact that, in case anyone forgot, Lawrence really is a college town. And, little to every touring band’s knowledge, the town’s concert-going population has withered and died for a week: it’s finals. This is why 24-hour coffee joint Java Break was hopping, but Sean Bones’ show at the Jackpot boasted a total of 19 people – and that’s counting media leeches with cameras, like yours truly.

“It’s like listening to the radio,” my friend whispered after Sean Bones’ first number. It was true.

There was no difference between Sean Bones’ live show and recordings. The jamming, ska-like beat? Check. The hoarse, Clash-like vocals? Check. The only difference seemed to be that, while on the recordings, the dudes could be frolicking on the beach in ripped cut-offs, Sean Bones (also known as Sean Sullivan) and his band didn’t seem to be having any fun at all.