Tyler Ramsey/The Drones/Band of Horses @ The Showbox 11/20

I know it's been a week since the show, but I've been kind of busy with Thanksgiving travels etc..

Anyway, I throughly enjoyed the concert, perhaps the most pleasant surprise of the evening was opener Tyler Ramsey. He has recently joined Band of Horses on guitar, and is opening for them on this tour. His bluesy, folk inspired solo set was very engaging, and left me wanting more. He opened and closed his short set with some beautiful guitar driven instrumental pieces that set the stage for the rest of his performance. His most memorable piece, titled 'Long Dream', which is coincidentally the title of his upcoming album, came off perfectly and was the highlight of the performance, with its meandering guitar segments as bookends to his poignant vocals about a dream of swimming across the sea.

The Drones hit the stage next, and didn't leave anyone in the audience disappointed. This being said, they didn't really blow anyone away either. Their live show comes off very loud, and as straight forward as rock can get. They didn't make any mistakes, but it didn't seem like they took any chances either. In sum they produced a very normal performance that, truthfully, seemed more fit for a stadium than the intimate setting at the Showbox.

Finally, the headliner Band of Horses came on (with Tyler on guitar) to a very receptive audience. The band considers Seattle its home away from home (South Carolina), and is pretty popular in the northwest (home to their label Sub Pop). I was very curious (and almost leery) to see them live. Bird's vocals are very unique, and mentally, I had been setting myself up for disappointment in light of what I experienced at the Pinback concert I attended just a month earlier. Needless to say, I wasn't disappointed, and Bird offered up a great performance hitting all the favorites from 'Everything All The Time' as well as new tracks from 'Cease To Begin'. The band was tight and seemed to transition well from the overcast stylings of 'Everything All The Time' to the southern rock inspired style of their new album.

Overall, I had an amazing night, and I can't wait until Tyler Ramsey's album drops later this winter.

Here's my favorite track from the night to hold you over (via stereogum):

Tyler Ramsey - Long Dream

Also, congrats to Conner who won the special edition Drones 7" giveaway, and thanks again to Sneak Attack Media for allowing me to give it away!

Until Next time...