THE COLD STARES / THE PEACOCKS – TAFFETA MUSIC HALL – LOWELL
By Rick Fleck
The Cold Stares play the Taffeta Music Hall In Lowell MA with the Peacocks for direct support.
Evansville, Indiana’s The Cold Stares opened their show at the Lowell, Mass destination venue Taffeta with their popular song “Horse to Water.” Taking full advantage of the club’s impeccable sound, guitarist Chris Tapp let loose a riff reminiscent of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Saturday Night Special.” A distinctly southern rock song, with an infectious chorus and crunchy guitar work, “Horse to Water” set the tone for the night with its blues-inflected hard rock sound.
The Cold Stares began as a duo in Western Kentucky in 2009 with the aforementioned guitarist/singer/songwriter Tapp and drummer Brian Mullins. The band later relocated to Evansville. In 2023, “new comer” bassist Bryce Klueh was added to the fold officially making The Cold Stares a blues-rock trio.
Early in the set, “I Was a Fool,” brought to mind Jimi Hendrix’s “Crosstown Traffic,” again taking a classic rock influence and turning it into something distinct. “Got No Right” was vintage country funk, a criminally overlooked genre, that gave a glimpse of the musical range of the band. “The Third Degree” and “Coming Home” were two gems of Mississippi Blues inspired hard rock, while “Prosecution Blues” took us on a boxcar-hopping ride to Memphis.
Photos Rick Fleck
“The Third Degree,” showcased Tapp’s more soulful singing and was his vocal tour de force. “Coming Home” was a trip down a dirt road on a hot summer day in Mississippi with Joe Perry playing guitar next to you in the back of a pickup truck. “Prosecution Blues” was another example of Tapp’s dexterity on guitar with a slick Joe Bonamassa like blues style while vocally conjuring Greg Allman of The Allman Brothers Band. The boogie groove of “Going Down Easy” found the band hitting on all cylinders, including stylish soloing from Tapp. “Confession” from their newly released album The Southern, was a flat-out, 1970s style, barnburner.
“Headstone” took The Cold Stares in a different direction. The song’s thick riffs brought to mind such classic Black Sabbath songs as “Behind the Wall of Sleep” and the influence of Tony Iommi was unmistakable. “Headstone” however, retained a roots rock feel creating an intriguing mix of genres that worked flawlessly.
My favorite song of the night, and a clear top pick of the audience, was “Any Way the Wind Blows,” which is featured on Netflix’s hit series Sex Education. Employing a riff reminiscent of Led Zeppelin’s “Heartbreaker”, “Any Way the Wind Blows” is a monster of a song and hearing it live is a real treat. “Any Way the Wind Blows” is the song you’ll be singing to yourself on the drive home after the show.
Photos Rick Fleck
Tapp switched to a resonator guitar for “61 Blues,” adding a new sonic element to the mix, conjuring the sound and feel that best fit the song. “Two Keys and a Good Book” brought the night to an end with bombast and grit, bringing the show full-circle to the hard blues sound of “Horse to Water.” I would have liked to have heard some of the songs extended with longer soloing, but the pace of the show was well crafted and created a rhythm and flow that worked seamlessly.
It was a boisterous, enthusiastic crowd for a Tuesday night in Lowell. While not sold out, the recently renovated room felt full. As Tapp noted from the stage, these were not casual fans who heard one song on Spotify and came to see the show. In between songs, for example, people yelled out requests from deep in The Cold Stares catalog, sometimes surprising the band. The Cold Stares interacted enthusiastically with the fans all night, including after the show, sticking around to sign autographs, shake hands, and take pictures. Here’s hoping they make the Greater Boston area a regular stop on all of their tours.
Lowell’s own The Peacocks opened the show. The Peacocks have been on a brief hiatus and it was great to see them back. The core of The Peacocks is singer/guitarist Josh McDonough, bassist Ethan Whipple, and drummer Graham Nasson. Usually performing as a blues rock trio, The Peacocks were joined by a host of other artists including backup singers Emma and Julia, alto and tenor sax players Isaac and Jackson, and keyboardist/singer Dom the Composer. Dom the Composer is a notable up and coming artist in his own right and McDonough moonlights in his band.
The Peacocks played four songs with the ensemble including opening track “Angel”, their first single “Troublesome Child”, new song “June”, and show closer “Higher Ground”. “Higher Ground” is a cover of the Stevie Wonder classic and The Peacocks played it with both exuberance and respect. “June” is a departure from their tried and true blues rock formula and promises exciting new directions in the future.
As a trio, The Peacocks played staples “Cut Me” and “Promised Land” like the well oiled machine they are, picking right up where they left off. The eight piece band is both an experiment and a work in progress. The assemblage was not without its hiccups, but they played together with such spirit and enjoyment that it didn’t really matter.
It’s refreshing to be able to see something new developing right in front of your eyes and ears. I was glad to be there to witness it, especially if it turns out to be a one-off performance. The Peacocks and Taffeta are two reasons why Lowell is becoming a live music destination in New England and why it draws national luminaries like The Cold Stares to its stages.
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