This Wednesday night, I was lucky enough to see three bands at Bowery that I’ve been wanting to see for quite some time.  First up was Zach Williams and the Below (@zwilliamsbelow), who was certainly a shift away from what I’ve become accustomed to witnessing on the Bowery stage. With southern roots dripping from their pores, the Brooklyn-based 8 member band spent 30 minutes winning over the hearts of the generally cold New York crowd. While certain tendencies that I don’t particularly enjoy in more country/folk-driven music were present, I thoroughly enjoyed their set. The majority of the songs began and built up in very similar ways, growing from guitar strumming or picking to the full power of 7 instruments. Despite the sometimes overly-consistent structure and melody, the harmonies and musicianship this band displayed were beautiful and impressive.

We Are Augustines (@weareaugustines) may have had 4 fewer members wailing on their instruments, but their sound is something that transcends the individuals on stage. Former Pela frontman Bill McCarthy, one of my favorite voices in the entire world, was perfect.  His booming hallow-bodied guitar and distinct vocal style captured the attention of every single person in the sold out crowd (especially the dude in the front row who he threw his hat to).

From their gentle moments of heartfelt, vulnerable lyrics to McCarthy’s bellowing into the microphone, their vocals and melodies turned already stellar instrumentation into something so much more. Add to this a tight set between the bass and percussive elements, and their music was crisp but not overly polished. With each song, there was an element of spontaneity and an innate desire to reach out and connect with the crowd. Well, We Are Augustines, mission accomplished. Catch these guys when you can. They’ll be on the road until early May, but will definitely be playing more shows in their hometown.

The crowd response for The Boxer Rebellion (@boxerrebellion) was pretty incredible. Despite not having any particular single or hit that launched them to where they are, the band has released three solid albums and capitalized on ways to grow organically (not to mention getting a few songs on the Going The Distance soundtrack). While the band was certainly energetic and put on a great show, some of the guitar and bass blending seemed a bit muddled after the perfection of We Are Augustines’ set. Regardless, it was actually fun (and a good change) to participate in a crowd that appeared to be genuinely excited to see the band.

We Are Augustines

Boxer Rebellion