THE NATIVE HOWL / TEJON STREET / BONE CHURCH / KINGS & LIARS
By Ralph Beauchamp
The Space Ballroom was the scene of another fantastic night of outrageous music. The venue hosted a full night of original bands headlined by Michigan’s The Native Howl. Also on the bill were Tejon Street Corner Thieves and two CT. grown artists, Bone Church and Kings and Liars. Every band brought their unique flavor of music and it all meshed seamlessly together.
Up first was Kings and Liars. AMP has featured them several times in the past. The band is composed of the Bellmore brothers (Charlie and Nick) and bassist Chris Beaudette. Kings and Liars is signed to the audacious Salt of the Earth Records. Their set was full of high energy and dynamic sparks. They easily blend hard rock, blues and metal. Kings and Liars always leaves the audience guessing where the next tune lands. They surely cannot be tied down to any particular genre. Many of the songs in their 35 minute set came from the last album entitled Transition Animals. A surprise cut was the R.E.M. cover “The One I Love”.
Next was another CT based band, Bone Church. We have been following this band for quite a while on social media. Bone Church’s sound is a mixture of southern flair, rock & roll and blues intonations. You can throw in a bit of psychedelic doom to boot. A strange brew that totally works. The band’s stage presence was magnetic with powerful playing by all the musicians. Lead vocalist, Jack Rune was impressive. His relationship with the audience was prodigious. In addition, Pat Good on bass was superb with flashes of brilliance. Guitarists, Dan Sefcik and Nick Firine, were extaordinary while drummer Rob Sickinger kept a wonderful backbeat. Definitely a band to watch.
Tejon Street Corner Thieves was one of the bands on my bucket list. Being a huge fan of Amigo The Devil and Bridge City Sinners, Tejon Street fits right in the same mold. Lead vocalist and guitarist, Connor O’Neal was a hoot. His control over the fans in attendance was miraculous. Between every song was a cool or funny story or a “Fuck Yeah”. The ability of the band to resonate so deeply with the audience is a true gift. TSCT’s groove is a cauldron of bluegrass, thrash, punk and whatever else fits in the stew, Add their high energy vibe and exciting audience interaction, TSCT’s set was a total blast.
Headliner, The Native Howl bill themselves as “thrashgrass” and it’s a perfect moniker. Take the audacity of metal, add the excitement of punk and power through the beauty of bluegrass and you have The Native Howl. Alex Holycross (Vocals/Guitar) was pure adrenaline. His on stage demeanor was enticing and powerful. He was a charismatic showman. Jacob Sawicki on banjo stroked the flames of the crowd with his tremendous musicianship. The same was true for bassist Mark Chandler and drummer Zach Bolling.
The set came mainly from their latest full length, Sons of Destruction. The house loved every moment. Songs like “Sons of Destruction”, “In Death” and “Devil I’ve Become” flared up the audience. Their vibe was intoxicating. The Native Howl finished with a splash playing their three biggest hits. “God’s Gonna Cut You Down” went over huge. “Mercy”, which features Lzzy Hale on the record, was another fan favorite. The Native Howl encored with a monstrous version of “Thunderhead”. The track left everyone with a smile as the entire night was unforgettable. Another great evening at The Space.
Views: 6
