On Saturday, Sept. 14, Local Mojo held its fall concert at the Drake, hosting a lineup of both local and state-wide bands including Nikki and the Barn Boys, South Pleasant Revival and Grand View Point. Kicking off the semester, the concert was the first student-run event hosted at the Drake of the school year. Scores of students attended the show, selling out the venue.
Indie rock band Nikki and the Barn Boys headlined the event, led by the powerful vocals of lead singer Nikki Childs. The rest of the band’s lineup includes Graham Hempstead on lead guitar, Johnny Bressett on bass, Thomas Bressett on rhythm guitar and Liam Hempstead on drums. Childs’ soulful cadence along with the band’s infectious energy made for a captivating set to end the night.
The band started off with a slew of original songs, before pivoting into a lineup of covers ranging many genres. First up was a thunderous cover of “Sex on Fire” by Kings of Leon, in which Childs’ showed off her vocal range. The band then turned to their funkier side, presenting the crowd with a cover of “Ain’t It Fun” by Paramore, which was enhanced by Childs’ encapsulation of Hayley Williams infectious energy. After a couple more covers, the band went back to original music, performing their original song “Swells,” which is set to release soon. Nikki and the Barn Boys ended the night with an encore performance of Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club.”
Leading into Nikki and the Barn Boys’ performance was South Pleasant Revival, a local student band founded last year. The band was led by Grace Kerlin on vocals, Henry Eustis on Lead guitar, Flynn Duffy on drums, Philip Adams on rhythm guitar, Brendan Mullaney on bass and James Goldbach on keyboard.
South Pleasant Revival’s set consisted of a similar mix of cover songs and originals, choosing songs that showcased their folk-rock style of music. Each of the band’s members got their moment to shine, performing long guitar riffs and drum solos. The group’s lineup of covers included “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac, “Hotel California” by Eagles and “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns N’ Roses. By far the best cover of the night was their signature rendition of Zach Bryan’s “Revival,” an ode to the band’s name. South Pleasant Revival’s set managed to amplify the already energetic crowd in anticipation of the night’s headlining act.
Opening up the night was Grand View Point, performing for the first time in Amherst. The indie rock act is made up of Ryan Cobbett, Will Finaldi, George Crichfield and Ryan Kaplan. Their set consisted of mostly original songs, including their single, “Sun Bruise.” The band also performed songs from their upcoming EP “Lean into the Sun.” Grand View Point set the tone for the event in the first seconds of their performance, hyping up the crowd with their playful instrumental improvisation and their lead singer’s signature rasp.
The event successfully kicked off the semester’s promising schedule of concerts at the Drake. Local Mojo will continue hosting events throughout the fall.
Gustavo Atencio Flores can be reached at [email protected].
