Communion Club Night returns to Mercy Lounge tomorrow (Thursday), May 15th. This month, enjoy the breadth of styles from eight bands hitting their touring stride. The camaraderie will be palpable with our first three bands deep into a dozen dates together, and the others routing through spirited road calendars of their own. As per usual, doors open at 7:00 PM and music will begin promptly at 8:00 PM. Get your tickets here for $9.50 in advance or $15 DOS.
Here’s the rundown: Neulore comes out strong, boasting muscular, modern folk with expansive and cinematic peaks. The Nashville natives scored a deal with the music supervision titan Alexandra Patsavas’ Chop Shop Records (Twilight, Grey’s Anatomy) earlier this year, but haven’t forgotten their roots.
Pulling themselves up to rarified radio air, Bootstraps create polished, ethereal anthems centered on Jordan Beckett’s raspy vocal. The band’s larger-than-life sonic is enveloping, emotive, and sure to stun the live setting.
Los Angeles’ Busy Living brings a unique energy to the bill with effortless harmony surrounded by pop quirk. The quintet recently beefed up their sound with the help of Spoon’s Jim Eno, who produced two tracks (that we know about) at his Public Hi-Fi studios in Austin.
A familiar friendly face on the Nashville scene, Courtney Jaye’s latest set of breezy, classic country-tinged tunes made American Songwriter’s Top 50 Albums of 2013. NPR’s Ann Powers crowned her Dusty Springfield’s spiritual daughter. Somebody buy a round of box wine.
Landing somewhere between The Donnas and Grace Potter, Oregon native Cooper surrounds herself with an entourage of singers, dancers, and horns to become Cooper and the Jam. The fiery redhead brings blues, burlesque, and bravado to her latest Motown Suite.
Shifting gears, we ease in to the haunting, ethereal ballads of Penny & Sparrow. Expect a big year from the Texas duo, whose super-glued vocal layering a la Civil Wars and Swell Season has landed them on major festivals and the Billboard Heatseekers chart.
Kansas City smart-rockers Me Like Bees specialize in angular riffs and intricate rhythms with mechanical precision. With a nod to Modest Mouse, MLB have invented an equally fresh recipe for alternative music that sticks to your ribs.
We arrive at last to Daniel and the Lion, who have been making warm folk pop from Baraboo, Wisconsin for years, but broke nationally with YouTube covers. Just last month, they were asking fans on Facebook to help book shows, and in June they will open twenty-three dates for Counting Crows. It will be a treat to see these shining examples of persistence and humility under their own white-hot spotlight.
– Whitaker Elledge
