Duke Evers w/ Jupe Jupe & The Pop Cycle
High Dive, Seattle, WA
01.28.17

Fresh off a two-week West Coast tour, Seattle indie-rock trio Duke Evers rolled into High Dive for a spirited set, their sound as strong as ever. The guys were out supporting the release of their debut full-length, Velvet Hips,  a record that sees them evolving their sound from pop-tinged blues-rock to something more expansive, polished, and experimental.

The night kicked off with a little fun from Jupe Jupe & The Pop Cycle before the room went completely black. The opening space-rock strains of “Velvet Hips” wound through the dark before the song came alive with drummer Kyle Veazey’s crashing beat. Veazey and bassist Dune Butler opened up the sweeping deep lines of the track as vocalist/guitarist Josh Starkel took the stage.

Clad all in black, with his hair slicked back, Starkel is like some alien combination of Elvis, G-Eazy, and  Freddie Mercury. That’s a lot of big names to throw around, and to live up to, but Starkel has a natural magnetism on stage, an “x-factor” that few artists possess. From the start, his hips stay busy, his hands animated. Tracks like “Shake it Down,” and “Touch of Skin” see him maneuvering his way through big vocals with full-body feeling.

After a quick fumble for a pick in his wallet, Dune broke out the bass line of “Once I Did” and the cohesive nature of this trio is clear. The guys are in constant contact, interacting on stage, harmonizing with ease. Veazey sings along, eyes closed, letting the beat flow through him like he can’t help it. But watching him, it’s easy to see, Veazey is a killer behind the kit.

“You Said I Said” gets the crowd clapping along with an electric beat, while new track “You Oughta Know” displays a deep groove that’s altogether fresh for the group. They closed the set with crowd favorite, “Chelsea,” but then returned to the stage for a quick encore that featured shots of whiskey and a “thank you” to their manager before shutting down the night.

Duke Evers Set List
Velvet Hips
Shake It Down
Nameless Tranny
Once I Did
I’m Your Man
Pixies
Seaside
Touch of Skin
You Said I Said
You Oughta Know
Don’t Stare
Chelsea
Starting Brite

Review by Stephanie Dore
Photos by Sunny Martini

Duke Evers