The Band Feel – EP and Concert Review
- Henry Menigoz
- Oct 29, 2024
- 3 min read
It’s another sweltering Autumn Sunday night in Austin, Texas at the tail-end of one of the most action packed weekends of the year. But forget UT football or F1 races and swap out your cowboy boots for some bell-bottoms because it’s time to rock’n’roll at one of East Austin’s most iconic venues.
The Band Feel is a young and talented group of up-and-coming rockers based out of St. Louis, MO, championing the sounds of blues and old fashion rock’n’roll. Their songs Find A Love and Shoal Creek have garnered national attention and earned the group gigs opening for the likes of Cheap Trick and 38 Special. Now, just five days before the set release of their debut, self-titled EP, the band is set to take the stage first, opening for the Southern California rockers of Dirty Honey.
It’s still daylight at the historic Scoot Inn as The Band Feel jumps on stage. The walk-up song hasn’t yet finished and they’re already crashing into the first notes of their single, Find A Love. Straight away it’s apparent these guys have attitude as they quickly find their groove and lead singer Garrett Barcus soars over the screaming guitars and thundering drums. They’re barreling out of the gate, and it’s only briefly that they pause to announce their next song, Shoal Creek, which Barcus remarks “Says something ‘bout y’all.” It does indeed reference the city’s famous watershed and neighborhood trail, and soon the song’s booming kick and salacious melody has the Austin crowd buying everything The Band Feel is selling.
Guitarist Tyler Armstrong demonstrates his prowess on the frets as he leads the group through their next couple of blues eruptions. Here the rhythm section is on full display as well, flawlessly airtight as they take the audience through a range of shifting grooves that nod toward the mighty Zep and other jam bands of the sixties.
There’s a brief pause as we reach the middle of the set and Armstrong trades in his Gibson for an Ovation, just in time for an acoustic palate cleanser. Barcus notes it’s time for some new music, and Poem 59 is the first of the night, being the closing track of the upcoming EP. It’s a beautiful melody with melancholy lyrics and wistful harmonies that showcase the band’s propensity for folk appeal and Armstrong’s ranging guitar compositions. It’s songs like this you wish would never end, but soon another guitar exchange occurs featuring a twelve-string Rickenbacker and it’s time for the EP’s lead single Goodbye Virginia.
The sound is full and rich as each twelve-string strum shimmers in the open Austin air. Bass and drums take a step back here, adding only tasteful accents to the powerful vocal delivered by Barcus. The song’s end is met with heartfelt applause, and soon we’re jamming again with a fury of ear splitting guitar licks and unbelievable synchronicity in the rhythm section that has me sure it’s one of the best sets I’ve ever seen. Then it’s announced we’ve reached the end and the group’s final song will be the first track on the EP.
The opening notes of In The Garden kick in and somehow we’ve exceeded any of the grooves already enjoyed that evening. The riff is visceral and enticing, and drummer TJ Steinwart finds a pocket so delicious it could spoil your dinner.
As the song ends and the band heads for the green room, there’s some confusion as to what this headlining group is doing as an opener. Not to worry however, talking with Steinwart after the show reveals that the group has plans to run again next year with their own batch of headlining dates.
In the meantime, the EP has since been released with a few more tracks to be enjoyed. Call It What You Will showcases another great riff from Armstrong while Song for Sam preludes the acoustic closing track with another beautiful arrangement.
Though young and untested, The Band Feel has just begun to break their way into the industry with their self-heralded midwest rock’n’roll. With no shortage of style to look the part, the group has proven to have just as much swagger and talent to back it up, and certainly the music they’ve put forth shows the same. There’s no better time to find a band that’s as young and hungry as these guys are now, so give the EP a spin and check out some of their live sound where you can.
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