Kinch's The Economic Chastisement EP release party back in February was one of the best little concerts I've seen this year, so I was pretty stoked about this weekend's twin parties on behalf of the new EP Collars and Sleeves. I was not disappointed.
Starting with a Friday night show on a stage in front of Modified Arts, in the middle of a closed-down Roosevelt Street, and continuing with a Saturday show in a packed Yucca Tap Room, Kinch tuned up for their upcoming tour supporting Dear and the Headlights in style.
Material from the new EP was featured prominently, with the EP's strongest song, "Carolina Cannonball" shining at both shows. The downtempo "John Adams" also got a nice treatment. A nice, loud version of "All I Done," was my favorite offering from the Friday show, as the sound seemed to get fainter afterward. Kinch was called back for an encore Saturday, the crowd chanting for "one more song," and the band returning to the newly-located stage at Yucca to play "Oh Boy," with help from Brian Coughlan's dad Tim and Black Carl singer Emma Pew. Though it came just before last call, the crowd seemed very in to it.
The new stage and sound system at Yucca Tap Room looked great too -- the bar's owner Rodney Hu has done a fantastic job of making improvements to his well-run Tempe landmark while keeping the great vibe that makes the joint a treasure for the local music scene. Here's hoping he's able to make even bigger strides with his planned expansion.
