The EXIT/IN has been one of the most important music venues in Nashville since its creation over 50 years ago in 1971.
It’s an especially historic venue for alt-rock/indie rock, as groups such as The Police, Talking Heads, B-52’s, REM, and many more giants of that world have had monumental shows took place between their hallowed walls. This culture of showcasing upcoming acts from these burgeoning music scenes continues with local indie favorites, The Thing With Feathers, who played some notable hits of theirs and brand new, unreleased material this past Saturday.
The show started with two opening acts that would perfectly complement the energy The Thing With Feathers would soon bring. Linsey Urrea, whose debut single “More Fun,” was released on March 4th of this year, had an incredibly fun atmosphere to her performance that really captured the audience’s attention. The second act, Hardcastle, played like seasoned veterans. They brought a ton of emotion to their performance, especially with the last song, “The Distance.”
After a more than adequate warm-up, the room was clamoring for the gentlemen of the hour; it was time for the main event to assume the position.
The show started with the flashing light of the EXIT/IN sign in the back. Distorted electronic sounds played out from the speakers. The near-sold-out crowd was rearing to go with seconds until lift off. Soon the whole group walked onto the stage, and without any fanfare or chit-chat dove straight into their first song.
They opened with the electric “Lights Down Low,” their feverishly upbeat song that instantly got the whole crowd hyped. The weaving guitar parts and booming drums were wildly impressive to see live, and the deep red lights made everything even more dramatic and bold.
About halfway through the set, lead singer David Welcsh stated, “We put out an EP a few weeks ago for you. Earlier this year we recorded another one that we’re looking to release soon, and we’re going to play some songs from it!” This acknowledgement led them into “Golden,” one of the unreleased songs they played that night. The new song started with an infectious guitar melody and an earworm chorus in, “Won’t you come out tonight, the street lights are Golden / And if you’re scared of the night, then my arms are open.”
The last song of their set was “We’ll Be Fine,” which they started as a slow burner and steadily sped up quicker and quicker. The energy reached a fever pitch when every member threw their instruments to the floor in a true rock n’ roll move and walked off stage. Everyone in the audience chanted the usual, “one more song!” as feedback burst from the stage yet again.
After a minute of darkness and anticipation, the band came back to pick up where they left off, and after a short buildup, the group went into arguably their most popular song, “Figure Out.” This song got everyone in the crowd feeling the palpable energy and singing along. The purple and yellow lights that covered the stage looked like the sun rising behind the group. After a most satiating guitar solo from Alex Hendricks, a rumbling drum solo would follow suit, and after the last crash of the encore, the band gave a quick thank you and left the stage for good.
The Thing With Feathers pulled together an incredible show, one that had a great flow and infectious energy. It’s clear the guys just get better with each performance, and the future is as bright as they want it to be. This show definitely left the audience wanting more from the band, which is a perfect way to get old and new listeners alike excited for your upcoming EP.
