Classic rock is back! The Band Feel brings the feels to the Westcott Theater

On Sunday, The Band Feel revived the spirit of classic rock in the Westcott Theater.

The band brings a fresh perspective to the half-century-old classic rock genre, with sounds ranging from powerful blues-rock to soft, mythical ballads.

Local bands Maybe Sunday and Brother Floyd & The Blessed Sinners opened for The Band Feel. Dressed in cowboy hats and leather vests, with the sounds of Bachman Turner Overdrive and Blackberry Smoke, they set the mood for a night of rock and blues.

The openers made their way offstage, and more people made filed into the theater, wearing patched jean jackets and faded flare jeans for the occasion. The Band Feel took the stage in their biblically accurate ‘70s attire: denim on denim with bell bottoms, suede-heeled Chelsea boots and floral blouses. Bassist Kadin Rea lit incense on stage, and the band was off.

Starting with the band’s debut single, “Find a Love,” lead singer Garrett Barcus ran up to the mic and wailed with deep power. The band then played the funky cover of Bill Withers’ “Use Me.”

Barcus introduced The Band Feel to the crowd in his warm, slightly southern accent. Holding up a ripped-off piece of a pizza box, which served as their handmade setlist for the night. 

Photo by Jenna Sents

The Band Feel guitarist Tyler Armstrong plays a soft, jazzy solo during “There You Go.”

“How’d you like to hear a little jam?” Barcus said before going off the stage, leaving the rest of the band to take the ever-cheering crowd on a journey. The 10-minute song “There You Go” started with a complex bassline and deep drums before the guitar entered with a fast riff pouring in with energy.

With ebbs and flows of loudness and speed, the band came to a near stop. Rea emanated the sound of an upright bass, while guitarist Tyler Armstrong played a clean and bright riff, making the crowd feel, just for a moment, like they were in a Southern jazz club. Armstrong’s long hair, illuminated blue in the concert lighting, waved softly in the slight breeze from the fans.

Then, as the drums kicked back in full force, Armstrong took a fast, bluesy solo. Behind Armstrong, drummer T.J. Steinwart nearly caused the cymbals to topple over as they rocked back and forth under his power. The bass and guitar then fell away to let Steinwart move from the bright cymbals to the deep lower toms with mallets in a John Bonham “Moby Dick”-esque solo. 

Barcus waltzed back on stage and finished the song in a slow, headbanging melody, which introduced the vocal power of Armstrong with call and response between the two.

Photo by Jenna Sents

The Band Feel gets into their performance, with lead singer Garrett Barcus flipping his hair and jumping around stage.

The band set up for their acoustic portion of the evening while Armstrong spoke to the crowd, saying tonight felt like they were just playing for a bunch of friends.

The Band Feel played a few mystical ballads like “Fly Birdy, Fly” and “Poem 59,” singing about love and the beauty of nature. The brassy-belted melodies and rich acoustic guitar created a feeling similar to that of being on a road trip through the mountains or Laurel Canyon. 

Barcus’ face hid behind his hair, singing the song “Goodbye Virginia,” which took the softness in their ballads and the power in their classic rock sound to create a vulnerable yet awe-provoking experience.

The group finished the night with “In The Garden,” the first track off their self-titled EP. The band let the music take them as they floated around on stage, Barcus taking any moment he was not singing to headbang and let the music take control of his body. The song exploded with a screaming guitar solo while Barcus threw himself around on stage, whipping his hair back and forth until the night’s end.

“We’ll see you all real soon,” Barcus said to the crowd full of new The Band Feel fans.