Boston-based Kingsley Flood paid a visit to Rock and Roll Hotel, prefaced by South Jersey’s Sounds from Atlantis and followed by DC’s Typefighter. The evening showcased a sampling of Americana rock that showed no shortage of banjos, saxophones, fiddles, and trumpets.
I could – should – have researched Kingsley Flood and listened to their published work before seeing them live, but opted – urm, forgot – to stop short of listening to their music and seeing their show with a completely ignorant perspective. My lackadaisical method paid off when their sound, numbers, and energy struck me as a domestic answer to Gogol Bordello.
Kingsley Flood has been featured on NPR, and frontman Naseem Khuri’s decision to abandon a career in international affairs in order to pursue music has seemed to be the right choice, as they recently won New Artist of the Year at the Boston Music Awards. Khuri lives in DC and has a local following, but the rest of the band members reside in Boston, and Khuri credits AirTran’s low fares for making the collaboration possible.
Khuri leads a band of six with his vocals and rhythm guitar, and at different times the band featured a fiddle, saxophone, trumpet, and keyboard. There was a palpable excitement from the crowd for the band, who was not last on the bill but by far provided the thickest turnout. Khuri’s well-honed voice and knack for interaction with the crowd created a positive, intimate atmosphere despite the extreme volume and sizable numbers.
Lending to this, Khuri recounted the story of an evil cat that kicked him out of bed the night previously, to which he dedicated “Stoop Cats.” I saw the picture; this cat was a demon. They also played “Cathedral Walls” from their first album, Dust Windows, which Khuri introduced with an anecdote about his father. Having the trumpeter Chris Barnett walk into the crowd and play back towards the band helped the feeling of intimacy as well.
As we all know, however, music is about style, and the style reflects the music. It’s a metaphorical MC Escher painting from which a casual observer can make observations about the type of sound and the type of reception the band is looking for. The band’s style screamed Americana with Khuri’s upturned fedora and pushed-up sleeves, and fiddler/saxophonist Jenée Morgan’s summer dress and cowboy boots further amplified that image.
The entire outfit was well-put together, and every instrument was genuine. I appreciated the highlights given to “not-a-guitar” instruments and that members wielded multiple instruments, which proves their dedication to their craft, and diversified the sound. Khuri’s vocals and lyrics were powerful and well-rehearsed, but I believe he wasn’t quite exploring the space and range his voice can allow. Overall, it was a fantastic way to spend a Saturday evening. We just wish that they had a release on vinyl… Khuri speculates that they will release a 7” single soon. (We’ll be waiting patiently.)
Sounds from Atlantis opened for Kingsley Flood, and I and the rest of the crowd were pleasantly surprised by their talent and sound. Every member of that band knew his instrument well, and they played a healthy mix of soulful indie folk rock. Lead singer Tony Cooksey writes the songs, which display a variety of emotion, and sings with a very powerful and skilled voice. DC’s notoriously tepid audience was cheering and shouting by the end of the set, which nicely prepped them for Kingsley Flood.
Finally, Typefighter ably finished the set, a more pure rock band with fewer bells and whistles. They stuck close to what they do best, guitar rock, and gave a positive performance. Their style and sound were reminiscent of Band of Horses. Front man Ryan McLaughlin rocked the beard and the microphone, belting out indie rock anthems in a distinctive voice.
Overall the three bands gave largely positive performances, with each having something different to give, whatever your taste.
