I have to be honest, I almost didn’t write about my show on Thursday night. My relationship with the headliner band is a bit complicated but can most simply be put into the words- My boyfriend is the bassist. That being said, I was at a show and waking up this morning and not writing a post about it just felt weird so, relationship aside, let’s talk about the magic that happened at The Turf Club on Thursday.
Before I go any further, I must apologize to all of the acts on Thursday night. Although I was there the entire night and then some, my night revolved more around socializing than the actual music. Looking back, I regret that but, in the moment, I loved seeing my worlds collide as my best friend, boyfriend’s sister, my little brother and sister-in-law all came together around one table and maybe one too many drinks. It’s not that I went into the night thinking it was a social hour but I would be lying if I said I didn’t have an inkling that that’s how the night would end up. Honestly, I think that shows something about how comfortable everything was on Thursday night but I digress. Whether or not I caught every word and every note from every band, I can honestly say that the music just added to the magic that I felt throughout the evening.
The magic started with local group Parachutes. Right off the bat, I was struck by how young vocalist Ryan Kemp was (and his epic mullet that I was super jealous of). Ryan and his band had a very fuzzy sound that was equal parts calming and energetic. There was something warm and welcoming about the overall vibe of their set that I feel really helped draw people in and up to the stage. Although it wasn’t the most energetic stage presence I ever saw, I really appreciated the way the band brought a sense of professionalism to the speakers. They were clearly all into what they were doing and were determined to impress the entire crowd. Mission accomplished. These kids may be young but they have really honed in on a sound that will definitely take them somewhere. I don’t have any notes about any specific songs of theirs but I do remember that I would nod mid-conversation as they wrapped up each song with one of my “yeah, I like this” faces on.
Following Parachutes was a personal favorite of mine, Colin Bracewell. Another youngster with more soul than some of the seasoned vets I see night after night. I last caught Colin at his ‘Valley’ EP release show back in July of 2021. Much like that fateful night, I was instantly captivated by Colin’s vocals. The range of this kid is truly impressive but, what’s more impressive, is the way he scurries throughout the impressive range with a sense of smoothness that most vocals would kill for. Much like Parachutes, there wasn’t a lot of excitement to watch on stage but I’m starting to look back and wonder if that’s just because the last show I went to was full of stage divers and flying bodies in a pit. Regardless of the excitement, there was an undeniable sense of energy from Colin and his band that translated perfectly into the audience. It was so nice to see that even after almost two years, Colin is still doing his thing and staying true to his indie-pop vibe and drawing people in with every note and word of every song.
Now is where things get a bit tricky. Headlining the night was Harbor & Home and, as mentioned, my boyfriend is actually the bassist of this band now. This is a new development. I remember when he told me how excited he was to have joined a band and told me the name. I’ve known Harbor & Home for years and I shared his excitement because I know the power behind this band name and frontman Kaleb Williams. My first review of Harbor & Home was a review of their album ‘Fighter’ and I started it off by talking about how I had seen the band before but didn’t review them because it wasn’t my style and I wasn’t in the right mind frame to really enjoy the show. Looking back, I realize how stupid that was. Sure, Harbor & Home’s Americana drenched indie-pop anthems aren’t for me but these guys are solid and, with a new line-up and some big things in the works, I truly expect them to be a household name in no time (and I promise I’m not saying that because of the boyfriend).
Harbor & Home’s set was lengthy on Thursday night to the point where it was maybe too long. As the set went on past 11 PM, I saw people starting to head to the door and into the blustery winter air but, if you were one of those that stuck through to the very end, you got to see so many sides of this band. From tracks that gave me very NEEDTOBREATHE vibes to tracks that had more of a The Lumineers vibe, regardless of what song the band was playing, they were giving it to the packed audience with a sense of heart and soul that was truly breathtaking. The whole band was great but Harbor & Home lives and dies with Kaleb Williams and seeing them on Thursday night reminded me why. Kaleb’s voice is flawless. I mean, seriously. There’s strength in it but it’s not pushed to the limits so the strength is subtle and just leaves you with a sound that belongs on the national stage, not just the local stage of The Turf Club on a Thursday night. That’s not at all a dig on The Turf Club but more a note on how refined and perfect that this band sounds and how I truly expect that it won’t be long until seeing them at such an intimate venue is a thing of the past.
I was going to write this review as a bit of a joke. I was going to mention how my boyfriend (who plays bass) only has to play one note at a time yet still missed a couple (although I didn’t hear any mistakes from him), or how the music of the night was generic and just so not for me but, when I sat down to write that, I realized how much of a lie that would all be. Sure, the music from the three acts on stage on Thursday night wasn’t for me and it all did feel a bit redundant if I look at the night as a whole but, when looking at each act as an individual act, I realized that each act, from Parachutes to Colin Bracewell and all the way to Harbor and Home, brought an undeniable sense of passion, heart, and drive to the Turf Club stage. As I’ve said many times in past posts, I’d rather be at a show where I don’t like the music but get that passion than be at a show where the sound is more up my alley but the bands are just going through the motion.
Line Up:
Venue: The Turf Club
Smell-O-Meter: Nothing
Average Age of the Crowd: 27
Crowd Surfers- 0
Stage Divers-0
Mosh-ability- 1 out of 10
Sausage-Fest Meter- 7 out of 10
Amount of Beer Spilled On Me While Walking Around- $0
Broken Bones- None spotte
Spotted Flying Through The Air- Nothing
Fights- None Witnessed
Pukers- 0
Randomly Shirtless Men – 0
Passed Out Kids- 0
Idiots Taken Out By Security – None Spotted
How Irritated I Was With The Audience – 0 out of 10
How Many Times I’ve Seen These Bands Before (or at least how many times I can remember)-
Parachutes – 0
Colin Bracewell – 1
Harbor & Home – 1
Celebrity Sightings – None
Overall Score- 8.2 out of 10
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