I was supposed to see Early James and his crew up in Chicago on his Strange Time to Be Alive Tour, but a double-booking had me on the road to a completely different part of the country that day. I’m not one to give up, so I packed my bags a day early and found myself driving 4 hours east to Ohio (a state I’ve found myself in more times than I ever would have anticipated at beginning of this year) for a Halloween-tinged show in Columbus at Ace of Cups, a vibey little bar-venue with skeletons galore.

It wasn’t my first time seeing Early James and his crew live, but it was definitely my favorite. You’d never have been able to tell this was his first headlining tour. He and his band play like they’ve been touring the country for years, engaging so naturally with the crowd like they’d played Columbus a million times over, like it was their city. The talent between the four of them (James, Ford Boswell, Adrian Marmolejo & Joey Rudisell) is remarkable; they are so easily able to recreate the sounds of their records. They’ve quickly become one of my favorite live bands by far.

Early James is also one of my all-time favorite live vocalists. His strong rasp never wavers, only impresses, and completely takes over the room. Perhaps a funny thing for me to say given that I’m younger than him, but you’d never expect such a voice to come out of someone so young. His voice is a perfect fit for the clever poetry of his now two full-length records, the latest (and the namesake of the tour!) having dropped back in August.

The covers he played really stuck out to me, particularly “Psycho” and “Your Cheatin’ Heart.” “Psycho” found its way onto the setlist via a request from the crowd for Halloween. An old Eddie Noack song from 1949, James and his crew made the thing sound brand new, telling the song’s haunting story in a way only he can. I’d love to keep hearing that cover all year round, but it couldn’t have been more perfect for an almost-Halloween show. “Your Cheatin’ Heart” (of Hank Williams fame) was planned, but still felt very light-hearted and impromptu, like the band was just having their own casual little jam session. If I didn’t already know better, I’d have thought the song was written just for James to sing; I will never get over just how insane his vocals were on this one, switching back and forth from a raspy wail to a smooth croon so effortlessly.

I really couldn’t have asked for a better setlist (admittedly one of my favorite songs was missing, but I did hear it live earlier this year); almost all of my favorites were on there and not a single song disappointed. I believe wholeheartedly that every Early James fan there heard something they loved and left that night feeling immensely satisfied. Let that be a testament to you, reader, of how absolutely phenomenal of a live band James and his crew are.

He and the band are funny too, some of the funniest musicians I’ve ever seen onstage. They don’t just play for the audience, they make friends with them. There were jokes and banter galore – I even saw the origins of an inside joke that I hope to see last for years to come (to the guy who acted as James’ dad for the night, I hope you’re reading this!). There was never a lull, not really, because even when the music stopped, there was somebody on that stage making the crowd laugh. It created an intimacy to the already-intimate show that I’ve yet to see at any other small venue show I’ve attended.

Early James just might be my favorite discovery of 2022. I’ve yet to encounter another artist who can tell a story quite like he can AND perform them so well live. Nothing is lost from studio to stage, if anything, the stories only get better. Get him on your radar if he’s not already on it. Take it from me, he’s been worth every mile.

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Review: Ceramic Animal Put the “Beat” in Beat Kitchen with Headlining Chicago Show

November 23, 2022Sara Brown

I got to check a show off of my 2022 bucket list AND see my first Banded sticker make its way onto a road case in Chicago a few weeks ago with Ceramic Animal at Beat Kitchen, a small bar venue in the heart of Roscoe Village.

After having seen them open for The Black Keys in St. Louis in July, I was already planning on going to see them, but I lucked out and won myself free tickets and a pre-show hang in the green room (big shoutout to Sam for taking good care of us!). We chatted about the making of Sweet Unknown, their favorite things about Nashville and their home turf of Philadelphia, but this isn’t an interview piece (this time!), so let’s jump forward to the show.

Something I love about these small venue shows is the openers. They are so often bands I might not have found any other way, and I like to consider myself one of the biggest proponents of opening act support and encouragement. Spirit of the Bear and Trash Panda didn’t disappoint, bringing indie rock and funk to the party, respectively. They brought equally as much energy to the room and hyped up the crowd almost as much as Ceramic Animal did. They took their respective sets seriously, and it was evident as each of them left the stage that they had converted the crowd into fans.

If there’s one thing about Ceramic Animal’s live show that always translates from being an opening act in a huge amphitheater while it’s still daylight out to headlining a small, vibey room at 10pm at night, it’s that they own the stage like no other. All five of their unique personalities shine through during their shows, and this was especially evident from the very front of the room at Beat Kitchen in Chicago. They were electric, making a small stage feel huge with their never-ending energy, but still keeping a lot of that intimacy that I love about small venue shows by interacting with the crowd and getting right up in our faces.

Their demeanor onstage, with both the crowd and with each other, is indicative of a band that takes itself seriously, but not too seriously. They play their music and they play it very well, but they know how to have fun. There was an air of lightheartedness in the room, excitement and humor present through the duration of their set.

One of the biggest qualifications of a “good” band for me is how good they sound live. It’s one thing to be a good studio band, but it’s another to be able to replicate those sounds live, and Ceramic Animal checked every box on that front. I even found myself enjoying some of the songs more live than I do their studio versions (“All My Loving” live supremacy). The mix was fantastic, everyone was on point and brilliantly in sync – everything sounded fantastic.

The crowd ate up every second, singing and dancing along to every song. The energy in the room was high; the band feeding the crowd and the crowd feeding the band in this remarkable roundabout kind of way. Even when the tempo slowed, there was still a buzz in the air. The vibes couldn’t have been better.

The Sweet Unknown Tour is over, but no doubt you’ll be able to find these guys on the road again soon. When new dates drop, do NOT hesitate. I can promise you it’ll be one of the best shows you’ve ever seen, and one of the most fun nights you’ve ever had. Get them on your bucket list, now.

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The Show We All Needed: Review of Hunter Hayes’ End-of-the-Year Secret Show

January 11, 2022Sara Brown

I checked off my last concert of 2021 in Nashville, Tennessee, 5 ½ hours from the area I call home these days, to see the second of Hunter Hayes’ two secret shows at The Basement. To be perfectly honest, I’ve seen Hunter Hayes live enough times to know he wouldn’t disappoint, but this show might just be my favorite show of his yet. It’s one I’ll be talking about for decades.

Of course, before I get into the show itself, something I’ve always loved about Hunter Hayes that holds true to this day is how unbelievably kind he is. He has always gone out of his way for his fans, and this night was no exception. He stood outside in the 40 degree weather, a Sharpie in hand and hugs at the ready, to meet every single fan who came out to the show. He satisfied everyone’s requests, from taking pictures to making videos saying hello to people’s friends, and even carrying on our nearly decade-long tradition of singing together (if you want to know more about that story, check out my Instagram here). There were two girls standing behind me during the show who told me it was their very first time seeing him and I’ll never forget the excitement on their faces when they found out he was staying to meet everyone.

This show was vastly different from my previous Hunter Hayes show experiences. Going from seeing him play country-tinged seated arenas and theaters to charmingly dingy standing room only venues with a rock ‘n’ roll vibe was a truly beautiful change in energy if you ask me. It was my first time seeing a show at The Basement – I’m checking iconic Nashville venues off my list one trip at a time – and I was not prepared for just how intimate this show would be. I ended up four rows of people back from the stage that stood at audience height, that is, you’re practically in the artist’s face if you’re in that front row. The Basement’s setup made the entire show feel very personal, like he was singing to us instead of for us.

You could tell that the song arrangements were carefully put together, but there was a rawness created by the room. Every song felt very rock ‘n’ roll, more than ever before. I’ve never heard his songs quite like this; there was a new life to every single one of them. Songs I’ve known by heart for nearly a decade took on new energy and new meanings. I swear I stood in the crowd with my jaw dropped over that for at least half of the show.

Having not seen him live since 2019, there was an air of raw confidence to this performance that I haven’t seen out of him before. That’s not to say that’s he’s never seemed confident before – he most certainly has – but there was something different going on here. If you’ve known him for a while, you could tell he had really come into his own over the past few years; it was almost like there was a whole new man up there. He played with reckless abandon, with seemingly no worry about how a song or a solo might be received. He was playing simply because he loved to play. That energy, playing your heart out not necessarily for the crowd but for the love of playing, made the show all the more invigorating.

He played for two hours straight with no opener, throwing in some spur-of-the-moment jam sessions, joking with the crowd, and making sure we all felt right at home. Vocally, it was one of the best shows of his I’ve seen. He didn’t miss a note, and his voice never faltered. He showcased what a powerhouse guitar player he is with every solo he took, something that I think gets too often overlooked when it comes to his musicianship. Perhaps most importantly, he reminded the crowd of just how phenomenal his discography really is, treating us to so many songs I thought I’d never hear again.

The setlist for this particular show was chosen by the fans. Fans sent in their requests via text and Hunter himself said that they did their very best to accommodate every single one, resulting in the most perfect combination of his oldest and newest tracks. It was wild hearing some of those older songs again. There was just something in the air that night – I found myself moved by the music in ways I hadn’t felt with such muscle since I was a teenager. I’ll admit, there were a couple of songs that moved me to tears, songs that I think I very much needed to hear live again.

Hunter’s music was the soundtrack to a very formative part of my life. His songs carried me through junior high and high school; they were my friends in the times that I had none. I saw him play ten times during that five year period, and it was going to his shows, attending those meet and greets, and most importantly, hearing those songs that helped me keep my head up when things got tough. I’m in a much different place in life now - my high school self never could have imagined where she’d be today – and hearing those songs that shaped me at that stage of my life again took me back to that girl who had no idea what she was doing. The night was special because we had both grown since I saw him last.

What I’m trying to allude to is that there’s a magic in the air at a Hunter Hayes show. His music hits you and his performance moves you. With his music’s thematic range, I can guarantee you there was a song he played at this show that would have spoken directly to you, like it was written for you. I truly believe it’s impossible to not have fun at a Hunter Hayes show. Believe me, I watched too many boyfriends in the crowd jamming along to think any differently). There’s something for everyone, and that’s a beautiful thing.

I’m still feeling the effects of this night WEEKS after the fact; this was clearly a show I needed, and how special is that? I could go on and on about what a great musician he is, I could do an in-depth analysis of the setlist from that night, but what I think really needs to be driven home is the emotional impact of his shows. I’ve seen plenty of shows from plenty of artists, but few have had the lasting impact on me that a Hunter Hayes show has.

This show was unbelievably fun, invigorating, and good for my soul, and I’ll be thinking about this night for a long time. When he hits the road properly (which he alluded to being sooner rather than later during the show), go out and catch a show or two to see what I mean. Trust me when I tell you that you don’t want to miss him.

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Larkin Poe Bring Blues and Roots to Indy: Review of the Monster Energy Outbreak Tour

October 21, 2021Sara Brown

Live music coming back full force and my relatively recent move to a much more live music-centric part of the country could not have come together at a better time. In an effort to avoid any FOMO, I find myself going to see as many things as I can – I don’t want to miss a single one of my favorite bands, especially not when they’re playing shows closer to me than ever before. When a friend of mine that I actually met through our mutual love of Greta Van Fleet on their Strange Horizons tour asked me if I wanted to come to her city and see Larkin Poe, I couldn’t say no. It was my first time seeing them live, and I couldn’t have asked for a better first Larkin Poe experience.

The venue was incredible, a historic theater in Broad Ripple called The Vogue that has hosted the likes of Bo Diddley, Willie Nelson, and Johnny Cash, just to name a few. While I immediately gravitated to the floor for this show, I don’t think there was a bad seat in the house. The sound quality in this room was phenomenal, making an already virtually flawless band sound even better. I was surrounded by sound, energy, and lights, fully immersing me in the show. It was a fantastic place to see a show – I’ll definitely be back.

A last-minute but very welcome addition to the lineup was Tyler Bryant – the original opener had a conflict and couldn’t make it, so singer/guitarist Rebecca Lovell invited her husband to fill the role. Not only did he absolutely rock the house, he did it alone, just him, a guitar, and all the funky stuff in the floor he used to be his own percussionist. He was the perfect opening act – I fell in love with his sound and couldn’t wait to give him and his band The Shakedown a more thorough listen after his set was over. He covered all the bases, giving us hard-hitting rock and mellow ballads, and keeping us on our feet through every note. He was also incredibly kind – my friends and I met him after the show while buying his record and he couldn’t possibly have been nicer to us. That kind of thing sticks with me just as much as the sound of the music – friendly artists always win me over!

Being a few rows back on the floor, it’s always fun to watch the crowd ahead and around you react to the show. Before the show even started, I could see the excitement pouring out of the people on the barricade – it looked like this wasn’t their first rodeo, and rightfully so, because Larkin Poe put on a show worth coming back for again and again.

I am fully convinced that Rebecca Lovell is a siren – her voice is smooth, enchanting, and intoxicating. Her vocals will render you speechless – she sounds every bit as good live as she does on the record. It’s unreal. And it would be one thing if her vocals were the only thing that’s incredible, but the skill she has on her guitar and of course the phenomenal harmonies and slide work from Megan Lovell tie the whole thing together into one of the most exhilarating, albeit laidback, live shows I’ve seen to date.

I was quite pleased with the setlist, they played so many of my favorite songs, though I find myself struggling a bit to write this review because of that setlist; everything they played was a highlight! I can’t emphasize enough to you how fantastic Larkin Poe is live – they deliver a sound equal to if not better than the record in all the best ways. I often think the true test of how good a band really is measured in their live shows, and Larkin Poe passes with flying colors.

Larkin Poe bring roots and blues music to the masses in the most tasteful of ways, and their ending of the show with a Robert Johnson number truly solidified my belief in that. Their cover of “Come on in My Kitchen” has been one of my favorites of their covers for a long time, and watching them perform it (with Tyler Bryant joining them!) made it so evident just how much they care about preserving roots music. Robert Johnson died in 1938, yet Larkin Poe performs his songs today, in 2021. They’ve got a passion for the music that came before them, the music that inspired all of the artists we know and love, and that passion exuded out of that performance.

I already loved them, but after seeing this show, that love has grown tenfold. There’s something to be said for an incredibly talented and passionate band that delivers studio-quality sounds live, and Larkin Poe checked every box. Go check them out the next time they come to city near you – they’re beyond worth it.