By gum, we’ve gone and did it again. Put on another incredible show, keeping the St. Lawrence student body moving and grooving well into the heart of the night. Well done— you guys made the party on this one. GoldenOak, the Quahogs, and Goose each visited the Barn for the first time last night, and it’s safe to say they made a very strong impression. Each band delivered a unique sound and brought their own personality to the stage. All of this culminated to a night that shan’t be soon forgotten.
GoldenOak comes straight out of Portland, Oregon. The indie-folk outfit is led by sibling duo Zak and Lena Kendall. The two began their musical career as children, writing songs together. Since 2014 they’ve added bass, cello, and drums to their sound. They’ve been making strong moves touring across the Northeast, reveling in any opportunity to make a weekend trip to share their sounds. This columnist would also like to note that these are some of the nicest people to visit the Java Barn.
I guess it was a tad one-sided to remark on just GoldenOak’s kindness; the Quahogs and Goose were just as stand-up characters. The Quahogs traveled from the salty breeze of Providence to make it up to our little slice of nowhere. They play a grungy, swinging array of Americana and folk music. The guys often play around the RI and Boston areas; however, they took a trip to NY for the weekend to play for us and at Rockwood Music Hall in Manhattan. Reminiscent of Deer Tick and Johnny Cash, these guys are the real deal.
When I stated previously that all of these bands were visiting Java for the first time, I may have told a bit of a tall tale. While the actual band Goose has never stepped foot on SLU campus, many of them have actually played at the Java Barn under the name Vasudo. You may recognize the name from the large sticker slap-dab in the middle of the “Java Love” located at the middle of the stage. Goose also features Peter Anspach, who had visited Java this past semester with his band Great Blue. Goose has been making big moves in the Jam scene, and has a fully booked summer. Be sure to go out to see a show!
The day before reading this you will have seen Roots of Creation do their dub-lovin’ reggae thang. Fun fact: this was actually the first band your humble columnist was ever to see at the Java Barn. In other news, tonight (Friday) we will be hosting returning Java favorites Lux Deluxe and Del Water Gap. Don’t be late.
Ex nihilo nihil fit!