You’d think following an album review, a book review, AND an interview that we’d be done posting about Nashville’s Friendship Commanders for a little bit (Like, until we have to start really formulating our year end lists at least???)… but that’s where you’d be wrong. Because have you heard MASS? It’s gargantuan. It’s epic. It’s all about Massachusetts! So when an opportunity to catch the duo of Buick Audra and Jerry Roe live on their current tour at O’Brien’s arose we couldn’t pass it up. And upon witnessing the blistering and emotive performance, we simply couldn’t resist sharing our experience in the hopes that, if you get the chance, you’ll go catch Friendship Commanders live as well.
But first! Openers.
Shows where you can check some boxes on bands you’ve wanted to see live are a great thing so when the FC show support acts were announced we were delighted to realize that we were finally going to get the chance to see Mollusk and Chrome Over Brass live.
Mollusk kicked off the night with an inspired collection of Sludge Metal from the duo of Hank Rose and Adam O’Day and a set comprised of many a choice cut pulled from Children of the Chron (Which you can check out and purchase here). Heavy, behemothian even (Probably not a word), and definitely a band that adds to any bill they’re on. Next up: Chrome Over Brass! Um, yes please. One of those “I’ve seen the name out there before but never dove in…” kinds of artists, Chrome Over Brass (Peep their recorded stuff here), or one-man show Alex Garcia-Rivera, is mesmerizing in a live setting. A stadium-style performance for a club crowd, COB dazzled with an energetic jaunt through tracks off 2015’s Self-Titled full-length among others with Garcia-Rivera’s killer drum performance behind the kit triggering all the lights and riffage making one person sound like many.
Following a short stage switcharoo, the main event was on as Audra and Roe stepped up and just launched into ferocious set filled with raucous riffs, fiery pummeling, and those signatire soulful vocals to counterpoint all the Heavy. Roe was a flurry of stick wielding hands that were more an extension of his arms rather than something he was gripping onto while Audra’s electric performance on guitar and on the mic was a heavenly homecoming.
While the bulk of the set was made up of new sonic beasts from MASS (“Fail”, “High Sun”, “Vampire”), Friendship Commanders dove into the archives with some older tracks making an appearance as was the case with “Tuxedo Means Wolf” from debut full-length Dave which sounded like it was just finished in the studio and debuted live for the first time at O’Brien’s on this particular night. While in other instances, tracks that didn’t get a proper live showcase when released made their way into the FC setlist with “The Enemy I Know” off pandemic-era EP (“Pandemic-era”, what a world!) Hold On To Yourself gelling nicely with the rest of the tracks performed live.
Parting is such sweet sorrow and all that jazz but it helps when the goodbye comes in the form of a rousing rendition of MASS opener “Blue” which closed the show with Roe’s steady stick work accenting all of Audra’s riffage as the final cries of “The skies were Blue in Massachusetts/The skies were grey inside my head” rang out.
Friendship Commanders started their West Coast MASS run on November 1st at The DLC in Salt Lake City and you can check out the rest of their upcoming tour dates, stay connected via their socials, and buy MASS when you head here.