Thunder and Rain brought the house down!
A couple of weeks ago, fans at Old Town House Concerts were treated to a great performance by Thunder and Rain. Erinn, RP, Peter and Ian played a good bit from their just-released CD, Holler Out! along with some new and old tunes. Songs rooted in solid folk tradition overlayed with beautiful vocal harmonies and lyrics took us on a ride to other places and times.
"Smile, Kid" brought us behind the mics at a smoky bar to paint a picture of the musician playing when they aren't really sure if anyone is listening. The contrast of this song's message with the experience of a house concert where the music IS the thing just had us all appreciating Thunder and Rain and each other that much more.
We were introduced to "Dorothea," a story of a free-spirited, maybe lost, woman trying to find her way in Dallas. Gorgeous harmonies and a bass line grounding the song to the earth while the banjo and mandolin float around in the air make for a song that makes an impression. Similarly, "Omaha," featured vocal harmonies that wove a story of leaving out of rich layers of sound that had everyone tapping their feet.
Showcasing this band's ability to pull in threads from other genres, RP Oates' "The Fall" brings a little punk energy to Thunder and Rain's Americana sound. For someone who spent some time with punk music, hearing that drive and energy in an acoustic song was downright fun. And it wasn't just punk this band brought to their sound, but on "Babe, You're Gonna Leave Me" they went right over to Led Zeppelin and dug in. I was wishing I had videod this one!
"Die Travelin'" was a rollicking sound reflecting a life on the road. Ian's killer bass with Erinn's velvety vocals, RP's solid backing, and the varied rhythms of the banjo, mandolin, and guitar had lots of us wishing for a dance floor.
Folks, this was a mighty fine show by some really talented artists. If you missed it, check them out at a show along the Front Range and get Holler Out!
