Dragons

Artist: Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors

City Attended: Boston, MA

Venue: City Winery

Concert Date: 10-22-19

The Reason We Went: If songwriting were easy, everyone would do it, and while there’s plenty of artists tackling the Americana genre these day, few do it as consistently as Drew Holcomb. While we’d argue the Memphis native has never written a bad song, we’ve only ever experienced he and his Neighbors in a studio setting, so questions remained if Holcomb could entertain a crowd as well as he can craft an album worthy of a front-to-back listen.

What We Thought: And now those questions are answered.

Taking the stage in the intimate setting of City Winery – an elongated, shared-table room that feels like a Viking hall built for gluttonous feasts – Holcomb and his bandmates came on strong right out of the gates with “End of the World,” a captivating track from their latest album Dragons, released this past August. In fact, while there were occasional visits to previous albums, including “The Morning Song” from 2017’s Souvenir and “American Beauty” from 2015’s Medicine, it was a night to celebrate the new material as Dragons, much like Holcomb himself, took center stage.

While Holcomb spent the evening belting out powerful vocals that reverberated throughout the venue, he was soft-spoken and engaging when addressing the crowd, sharing anecdotes about life, love and angry fans upset with past set lists. The highlight of the night was a rousing all-hands-deck accompaniment that featured the Neighbors – as well as opening act Birdtalker – gathered around a microphone singing the title track from Dragons, which filled the room and souls of those in attendance more than any Viking meal ever could.

Yes, Holcomb is consistent in his songwriting abilities, turning tracks into musical memories for his listeners, but he proved to the Boston crowd that he is also just as consistent of an entertainer, leaving everyone in attendance with a memory they will soon not forget.

Bonus Takeaway: Said to be “warming the stage” for the upcoming Holcomb, husband and wife duo Birdtalker helped to build the momentum of the night, delivering two-part harmonies backed by a drummer who, while standing the entire set, was a one man platoon of precise percussion.

And that’s why we’re giving this show…

Artist: Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors

Album: Dragons

Label: Thirty Tigers

Reason We’re Cranking It: Holcomb is one of the most consistent songwriters creating today, so when he puts out new material, we’re usually first in line to give it a listen. With “Dragons” he continues that dependable track record, delivering an album that we can’t stop spinning in regular rotation.

What The Album Tells Us About Them: The third track on the album, “But I’ll N ever Forget The Way You Make Me Feel,” completely sums up the Holcomb experience. Not only is it his signature catchy Americana, but like the title suggests, we never forget the way Holcomb’s songs make us feel. Whether it’s purposeful or not, he writes in a way that makes every emotion and experience that he sings about relatable on some level, which in turn, instantly marries the listener to the music.

Track Stuck On Repeat: A much-needed anthem for today, the title track is a morale boost in musical form, inspiring us to go out and slay our own dragons.

And that means…