National Touring Artists Headline the Radio Room
On a normal week in the local live music scene, the calendar might be doing well to feature one or two nationally touring names performing at anywhere from The Radio Room to The Peace Center or a local festival. This weekend, however, Radio Room talent buyer Wes Gilliam asked us to hold his proverbial beer while he booked three big names across three nights at a single venue. From rock country fusion making waves out of Virginia to an evening of hard rock and metal (along with a great indie rock treat in between), this is one of those weekends where if something does not appeal to you, then you are probably not reading this in the first place.
49 Winchester
I am going to start with Friday night’s show for no other reason than it is my favorite name on any local marquee this weekend. I have seen the indie/pop/rock trio Bombadil at every venue possible, such as a friend’s living room house show, Horizon Records, Fall For Greenville, The Spinning Jenny, and The Radio Room and I can definitively say that they never disappoint. I might argue that if you can tell me of a band with better harmonies than Bombadil, I am most likely not to believe you. I can also say that each of their albums contains earworms for days and, if you are over a certain age, their song “Born At 5:00” confronts you with your own mortality (and that of our elders) more than most of us are actually prepared for. Catchy but intelligent songwriting combine with the aforementioned harmonies that make Bombadil one of my absolute favorite artists in the modern music scene.
Bombadil
Backing up to Thursday, 49 Winchester is taking the scene by storm with their latest album, Fortune Favors the Bold, garnering a ton of critical acclaim from the national media after just being released last Friday. The attention is well earned as the band puts forth their own unique blend of barroom country, rock, and Appalachian folk for a sound that defies description. Lead singer Isaac Gibson’s commanding voice holds your focus on his thoughtful songwriting for a band that is well on its way to much success in the very near future.
Saturday night sees Toronto’s punk-metal outfit Sumo Cyco take the stage for a big night of music. Sumo Cyco is the brainchild of Skye “Sever” Sweetman who is on a fascinating musical journey that cannot be overlooked. She originally found success as a singer/songwriter who contributed music for the animated film The Barbie Diaries and toured in support of a former Canadian Idol winner. That was before the “Sever” persona was created, of course, but when it was, she followed her true passion as lead singer of Sumo Cyco which has gone on to tour internationally, spreading their love of heavy metal and punk across the world.
Sumo Cyco
