Show Pics: Summer Nights Party @ Empire (5/30)

We’re finally clearing some back inventory after the meltdown of 2015. Feels good to be up and stable. Last weekend, summer arrived. The skies cleared finally and it looks like we are in for a beautiful few months. To celebrate, Empire‘s various stages were filled local party jams to help everyone make that transition from spring to summer easy. I went there to catch up with Whiite Walls and The Black & White Years and to check out the new stuff from Night Drive (not just the cool shirts, new jams).

Click through for a few thoughts and plenty of pics…

Whiite Walls, they always seem to start slow. Perhaps the frantic nature of opening a night and setting up there gear causes a few glitches, but damn, when they groove it is a beautiful thing. As they draw more people into their reach, the better they get. They should be around a bit more, looking forward to it.

Speaking of being around a bit more, The Black & White Years need to jump off now. They have been on a bit of a hiatus after pouring a lot of effort into their last record that I quite enjoyed, but didn’t burn up the charts. Bad timing? Perhaps, but now seems like a good time in the “scene” for them to use their quirky, groovy pop on you. I don’t think I have ever seen them mail in a set or miss a note. “Little One” put me in that weird show coma where you just kind forget where you are.

Night Drive was next on my list and I have big expectations for this summer’s round of shows leading into an appearance at ACL. THEY HAVE A DRUMMER NOW! Live drums adds a wonderful organic snaps to the songs, always a fan of more musicians on stage. The new songs sounded fantastic, the hits had the crowd living a beer commercial.

Caught a little bit of Ishi. Soul for the modern era…