Travie McCoy’s Sgt. Schlepper’s Tour recently stopped in at downtown Cleveland’s Peabody’s for some post-spring break season fun. While this small club venue wasn’t exactly the most inviting with a white skull painted on the front of the building, freezing temperatures that matched the weather outside, and a smell like it hadn’t been cleaned in years, the energy and anticipation of the night ahead was enough to distract anyone from such circumstances.

The evening both started and ended with a bang. Each band brought so much energy that the small stage was barely able to contain it all, and the music was so tremendous that you could feel the beat of the bass in your chest the entire night.

With such a strong following, it goes without saying that Travie McCoy has a natural ability to entertain a crowd, and while he was the VIP of the evening, the more notable acts included Bad Rabbits, XV, and Black Cards.

Bad Rabbits opened with a set of feel-good grooves sprinkled with some cha-cha slides and dance moves of their own that confirmed they’re just out to have a good time. Straight out of Boston, Massachusetts, their fresh sound is infused with everything from R&B and Reggae to Soul and Pop, and if you’re looking for some carefree, upbeat tracks with a “go with the flow” attitude, you’re bound to love Bad Rabbits. They will surely be able to distinguish themselves in any kind of concert setting.

On deck after Bad Rabbits was Hip-Hop’s most recent up-and-comer, the kid with the green backpack, better known to most as XV. At first, the crowd was doubtful of his freestyle abilities and overall talent, but leave it to his hit single “Mirror’s Edge” featuring Mike Posner to set off an energy that, a few moments before, didn’t seem to exist. Despite feeling under the weather, XV gave the crowd 100% and proved that he is indeed a force to be reckoned with. Keep your eyes on XV: he’s quickly making his way to the top, and you don’t want to get left behind.

Black Cards, the band that Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy launched last summer featuring front woman Bebe Rexha, took the stage next. This is their first legitimate tour following a few one-off shows on the East Coast last fall. They didn’t come empty handed either. With matching wolf hats, Rexha’s remarkable vocal range, and a promise to make you dance, you could not turn your attention away for a second. On top of all of that, Wentz took a stage dive that nearly went wrong and climbed a pole while security grimaced and nearly made haste to kick the band out. Though Black Cards have yet to put out a record, they’ve virally released several songs including the ever so catchy “Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Fame” and the slower “Summer Nights.” All of the songs compiled on to a newly turned Reggae-Pop record is destined to be a summer soundtrack. Ending their set with an exceptional cover of Bruno Mars’s “Grenade” and inviting people on stage during “Club Called Heaven,” Black Cards certainly left their mark on the nearly sold out crowd.

The night presented an array of music genres that were coated with each band’s individual performance style, which was not only appreciated but refreshing to hear.

*This review was composed by Kimi Sugiyama