Marking their first US tour in over a year, Joplin, Missouri’s Never Shout Never began their Mid Winter Night’s Dream Acoustik Tour with fellow statesmen Me Like Bees and YouTube sensation Hayley Kiyoko on February 20th in Santa Ana, California. Talented rhythm guitarist/vocalist Christofer Drew spent years as a solo artist before finally finding the right fit for Never Shout Never with members Taylor MacFee (bass/backing vocals), Hayden Kaiser (guitar/drums/ backing vocals), and Ian Crawford (lead guitar/backing vocals). When asked why he chose to add other members to the band, Drew said, “… I’m at a point now where I found my core group of guys, and I would much rather go in with this new fresh outlook and as a group instead of focusing all on me.” The words of a modest and open artist, their latest album, Recycled Youth: Volume One was released on March 3, 2015 through Sire Records and is composed of nine previously recorded songs that have been switched up stylistically and musically to give them a whole new sound, as Drew says a song is never really finished and can be worked on and changed up forever. Some of this new sound was offered up in New York City when Indie Rock fans braved the bitter cold temperatures to join at the Marlin Room within Webster Hall to sell out the venue on Tuesday March 3, 2015. The penultimate show on a nine date run, the Mid Winter Night’s Dream Acoustik Tour was ready to heat up this crowd on what would be a rather vanilla Winter weekday otherwise.
Opening the night was Alt/Indie/Rock band Me Like Bees. Formed in 2009, they also are from Joplin and have released two albums in that time, the self-titled debut from 2011 and The Ides from 2013 through Loveway Records. Self-described as “four narcissistic friends (who) run an Indie Rock band where their juvenile behavior brings situations from uncomfortable to hysterically horrible,” the band really knocked it out of the park, despite their apparent low opinion of themselves. We Like Bees has an original, refreshing flavor, at times sounding like Mumford & Sons, and at others like a reggae Zac Brown band. They played a great set in the Marlin Room on their first time playing in the Big Apple. Consisting of Pete Burton (guitar, vocals), Nick Bynum (bass, vocals), Luke Sheafer (vocals, guitar), and Timothy Cote (drums, synths, vocals), the band brought out the next act, singer/actress Hayley Kiyoko to sing the slightly off-kilter “White Teeth Teens” as a duet. Be sure to check out the Healthcare button on their website. It is a real eye-opener.
Second to the stage was Jill-of-all-trades, Hayley Kiyoko. This powerhouse performer is only twenty-three years old and has already acted in two live action Scooby Doo movies, has performed in the all-girl Pop group, The Shunners, and has ice skated in the opening ceremony of the 2002 Winter Olympics Games. Although she says she only acts to pay for college and music equipment, she will be playing Maggie in the upcoming Insidious: Chapter 3 (2015). At Webster Hall, on March 6, she was all about the music. Another first time New York visitor, Kiyoko exclaimed her excitement over being in the city. She played the synth and electric drums and was joined by Lawrence William IV on guitar. This duo added a great Pop dance groove to the night. Her song “Girls Like Girls” from the album This Side Of Paradise (2015) got a huge response from the crowd, and they even joined her in singing the chorus of “Giving It All To You.” Other songs performed were “Feeding A Fire,” “Cliff’s Edge,” “This Side Of Paradise,” and “Given It All.” For some soulful R&B Pop, look no further than this multi-talented glamour girl!
The time finally came for Never Shout Never to take the stage. Making the music a focal point of the show, the mop-haired Drew had his locks tamed under a black skull cap and sat unobtrusively on a single stool in the center of the stage. The mostly female audience was not going to take that lying down, and during the band’s performance of “On The Brightside” when Drew mentioned the heat, the crowd waved their camera phones in the air and screamed, “Take it off!” until he yanked the hat and stripped from the waist up, encouraging the rest of the band to awkwardly de-shirt. Drew was also shocked when he received a surprise gift – the artwork of a fan from an earlier Facebook post was waving at him from the front row. The artist gladly handed it over, blushing and excited. This did not detract from their music, however. Never Shout Never played a solid set of songs, including “Piggyback,” the Reggae sounds of “Can’t Stand It” and “I Love You 5,” the Country twangs of “Sweet Perfection,” the acoustic “Lost At Sea,” and encouraging fans to la, la, la to “California.” As the band left the stage, the audience felt buoyed and satisfied after a night of amazing music sure to stick with them for years to come.
With their musical tastes wide open along with tenacity and pervasiveness to try new things, Never Shout Never will not lack in the ability to come up with new music, nor will they ever stop trying. Recycled Youth: Volume One is the first of three albums Never Shout Never has in the works of previously released songs that will be rerecorded with entirely new styles and instrumentation, giving the band ample opportunity to try new things. Drew adds, “We want to go at it like the same way that Queen did – just awesome experimental records, but making some great hits at the same time. We don’t want to have any limits.” Refreshing words to hear and exciting for the future of Never Shout Never and their dedicated followers.
No comment