WINYAH – LIVE AT THE ROCKWELL IN SOMERVILLE
By James Marinaccio
Winyah – July 16, 2025 -The Rockwell – Sommerville MA
It was a sweltering day in Somerville, MA, but the heat didn’t stifle the buzz surrounding the Rockwell Theater. Davis Square, the neighborhood home to the Rockwell, was abuzz with activity. The surrounding bars were filled with what looked like freshly minted college grads grabbing cold ones before heading down the stairs into the venue.
The Rockwell is a small, 150-person theater that consistently attracts artists on the rise—those in the sweet spot of growing their followings. The main attraction that Wednesday was a band called Winyah.
Winyah hails from South Carolina, and their sound blends elements of new-age country and indie rock. Many fans likely discovered them through Instagram, where their following is growing rapidly. Their feed is full of fun clips—often outdoors—covering some all-time favorites of mine. From Pinegrove to the Allman Brothers, Winyah’s sound fits comfortably alongside them.
This new-age country/indie sound is gaining serious traction in the industry. After doing some digging, I think I found part of the reason why: Cloverdale Records, a label started by Evan Honer in 2023, is putting out a lot of music in this style. It’s approachable, easy to listen to, and clearly resonating with younger audiences.
Thomas Rowland, Winyah’s lead vocalist, is also signed to Cloverdale and has been releasing solo projects under the label. I actually saw Rowland open for the extraordinarily talented harf. at The Rockwell back in January. As embarrassing as it is to admit, I didn’t realize he was Winyah’s frontman until after the show. In my defense, that set was much more subdued.
Love it or hate it, the music industry is clearly shifting toward the Cloverdale Records sound—and young people can’t get enough of it. The crowd at The Rockwell that night felt like they were part of the music-making process. Winyah was fully engaged, and at times, borderline shocked by the energy being thrown back at them from the stage. Song after song, Rowland looked floored as the crowd sang every word in sync with him. It was pure, and honestly, pretty rare to witness.
After seeing how much the young crowd loved Winyah, it’s obvious they’re going to keep growing—and fast.
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