As part of their US tour (which goes until July 20th!!), The Unlikely Candidates opened up the DC 101 Kerfuffle rock festival at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland. The group is from Texas – and you can learn more about their upcoming projects in our recent interview.
Vocalist Kyle Morris was energetic and active throughout their 45-minute set, engaging with fans and photographers throughout the show. Though the limited mobility of Morris’ bandmates made interaction difficult, Brenton Carney (guitar) and Jared Hornbeek (bass) occasionally faced off in an extremely well-received riff battle – which helped highlight the impressive instrumental sections of the group’s lesser-known songs. Drummer Kevin Goddard shined throughout, especially during his cymbal-heavy solo.
Big hits “Trampoline” and “Follow My Feet” had much of the crowd dancing along, and shouts from the expanse of fans on the lawn echoed through the pavilion in front. The audience traded bars with Morris on “Violence” and jumped along through “Your Love Could Start A War.” My personal favorite was "Ringer", a catchy tune and easy sing along that built up audience involvement.
Established fans of The Unlikely Candidates were scattered through the packed festival crowd, but more remarkable were the groups of clearly new converts: people wearing t-shirts branded by the festival’s headliners (Jimmy Eat World, Weezer) or other rock idols that were dancing throughout the venue, singing along with later renditions of the chorus.
The show was fantastic. The setlist included songs about love, angst, and happiness – and Morris was exceptionally entertaining. The group has a ton of potential, and we’re definitely planning to keep track as they grow. Catch The Unlikely Candidates on the rest of their tour this summer, and look out for their EP, scheduled for release later this year!
Vocalist Kyle Morris was energetic and active throughout their 45-minute set, engaging with fans and photographers throughout the show. Though the limited mobility of Morris’ bandmates made interaction difficult, Brenton Carney (guitar) and Jared Hornbeek (bass) occasionally faced off in an extremely well-received riff battle – which helped highlight the impressive instrumental sections of the group’s lesser-known songs. Drummer Kevin Goddard shined throughout, especially during his cymbal-heavy solo.
Big hits “Trampoline” and “Follow My Feet” had much of the crowd dancing along, and shouts from the expanse of fans on the lawn echoed through the pavilion in front. The audience traded bars with Morris on “Violence” and jumped along through “Your Love Could Start A War.” My personal favorite was "Ringer", a catchy tune and easy sing along that built up audience involvement.
Established fans of The Unlikely Candidates were scattered through the packed festival crowd, but more remarkable were the groups of clearly new converts: people wearing t-shirts branded by the festival’s headliners (Jimmy Eat World, Weezer) or other rock idols that were dancing throughout the venue, singing along with later renditions of the chorus.
The show was fantastic. The setlist included songs about love, angst, and happiness – and Morris was exceptionally entertaining. The group has a ton of potential, and we’re definitely planning to keep track as they grow. Catch The Unlikely Candidates on the rest of their tour this summer, and look out for their EP, scheduled for release later this year!
|
|
|