Hartford CT – There are events that feel like high school house shows because they’re played in small clubs with poor production and poorer lighting. Then there are events that feel like high school house shows because they’re literally in someone’s basement and at least ¼ of the audience almost definitely went to the same high school. When Tawny Peaks played at a house called “Capetown” in Hartford, CT (yes, CT as in Connecticut; great music can be found even in the third smallest of states) on December 29, the latter “high school house show” feeling certainly applied. I think it might have even been someone’s birthday.
This show was the kick-off to the band’s east coast tour that’s bringing them as far south as Florida and as far west as Chicago – what a way to start off! Tawny Peaks embodies quality “indie-math-rock” (labels the band self-subscribes to) like few bands can. Even relentlessly listening to recorded Tawny Peaks before a show can barely prepare you for what these guys can do live. It’s an energy that can only be produced from pure passion.
Seeing Tawny Peaks was kind of felt like seeing Real Estate before they wrote “Fake Blues” (in a good way). Vocalist Charlie Perris has a surprising baritone. It was crisp, deep and almost sounded British at times. His vocal quality occasionally overshadowed, but the band compensated with frequent musical interludes that made it pretty obvious that all of these guys are stand-alone great players; while they could stand alone it’d be a shame to see them all part ways because together they’ve got something solid.
Tawny Peaks was awesome. But Poverty Hollow, opening act for their upcoming tour, were the most impressive act at this show. Excelling beyond the post-punk vibe of the night, Poverty Hollow delivered an almost devastatingly heartfelt performance that would make any swooning fan believe that frontman Will Rutledge was singing just to them. With a small repertoire of songs under their name (Poverty Hollow is, in fact, the band formerly known as Suns), the New York via Connecticut quartet played a set composed of what I can only imagine are old fan favorites and new tracks that will probably become fan favorites within the hour.
Check out Tawny Peaks and Poverty Hollow as they ramble up and down the East Coast and the Midwest – tour dates here!
