Nothing but Thieves at House of Blues on September 24, 2016

The lineup for this tour started with the high-energy, indie rock style of The Wrecks, slowing down for the more chill, alternative Civil Twilight, and ending with Nothing but Thieves: the perfect alternative rock middle between the two.
The intimate setting is one of the best parts of the House of Blues, especially in the Voodoo Room. The smaller scale of this venue offers the chance for fans to really connect with the artists. Often the first opening act will hang out by the merch table at the end of the show for pictures and signings, which was the case for The Wrecks who started as the only band based in the U.S. Lead singer, Nick Anderson, admits during his introduction of the band that they know no one in the audience probbly knows who they are, but by the end of the night they hoped, successfully, to gain some new fans. Each band member had their own distinctive moves throughout the set that made them fascinating to watch as a whole.
Civil Twilight’s vocalist, Steven McKellar, seemed surprised when people sang and clapped along. During “Letters From the Sky,” Andrew McKellar began playing his guitar with a violin bow, which added an unexpected twist to the band’s sound. Seeing Nothing but Thieves live allows fans to fully hear Conor Mason’s vocal range, putting the recorded tracks to shame. It is clear throughout the show that the band members are all making music that they love. Even the stage manager, who stood off to the left in the crowd and who has probably seen the band a considerable amount, seemed captivated by the music. The band’s performance style has more of a low-key energy that lets the music fill the room and speak for itself.
Conor Mason said a quick “Thank you” after each song the band played. He also could not fight a smile during the times when the audience cheered much longer than expected on the breaks in between some songs. It is easy to tell the band is appreciative of their deserved, growing popularity.

 

Written by Bria Higginbotham, USD Radio Staff writer