Lonely Mountain Lovers w/ the Ramblin’ Years and Edmund Wayne
Tractor Tavern, Seattle, WA
09.19.15
After a year of recording, fine tuning and gathering momentum with a steadily growing local fan base, Seattle’s own Lonely Mountain Lovers have finally released their debut self-titled LP and to celebrate, they laid it all out on the stage at the revered Tractor Tavern with a show that lit the crowd with both whiskey and worship. While worship might be a strong word, there was a deep appreciation evident in the room while the band worked their way through a beautiful set that showcased their bluesy, country-tinged tracks.
Starting off the set with the album opener “Petrified” was a great upbeat, foot-stomping move that saw the crowd clapping and dancing along while the dapper lead vocalist Zach Warnes let his hair down and the band got the nerves out of the way. But frankly, they had nothing to be nervous about. They moved through the album tracks in a purposeful way, with perfectly thought out tempo changes, impressive guitars from Austin Bustad and impeccable harmonies from Warnes and Mariaugh Maestas, whose voice sounds even stronger from a live stage.
They took a short break to get the audience singing “Happy Birthday” to keys man Jeff Cole, and moved right along into the hauntingly romantic “Woman in the Blue Coat” with its longing lyric “Who are you taking home?” leaving heartbreak and hope hanging heavy in the room. If you haven’t heard these Lovers yet, you should take a listen, or several. Their album is a work of layered merit, deserving of a whiskey or two on a chilly fall night.
Leading right into the headline show were The Ramblin Years, an eclectic local five-piece that swings from country-folk to hip-hop and back again, including some very jazzy saxophone and enough enthusiasm to fuel some serious barn-burning.
Openers Edmund Wayne were also releasing their new album “Can’t Remember When.” Though singer Curt Krause often performs solo around the area, Edmund Wayne is in fact a full band, and their full, melodic sound and Krause’s introspective lyrics made for a great set.
Review by Stephanie Dore
Photos by Sunny Martini
Lonely Mountain Lovers
The Ramblin’ Years
Edmund Wayne
