Little Bird gets everyone “Familiar” with their new music at their album release show in Charleston
Little Bird released their new album “Familiar” on April 1st and what better way to celebrate than play a show at The Music Farm! The Thursday before, they played an amazing show joined by fellow Charleston band, Rare Creatures, as well as Florida-based group, The Ellameno Beat!
Before the show began, I spoke with James Rubush, Oleg Terentiev and Noah Jones from Little Bird to learn a bit more about them as well as to talk about the new album!
Q: How long has Little Bird been together?
A: It’s a bit of a long story, but this group as it is now as a six-piece has been together since October of 2017 when Noah joined with us. The lead singer Jay and I have been doing Little Bird since we were 17/18 years old, so six years now.
Q: I know the band originated in Maryland, but you’re now based out of Charleston- where did you all meet at?
A: Me and Jay started it in Annapolis, MD where we are originally from. Everybody in the group at that time all went off to school- Jay went to SCAD, I came here to College of Charleston, so we were about two hours away…but we wanted to just start it back up, so we did.
Q: How would you say your music and sound has evolved since you first started?
A: it has evolved A LOT since Jay and I first started. It’s crazy. We were like Rock n’ Roll when we were kids and now our sound is…kind of all over the place. A little R&B, Americana Pop, Neo Soul- lots of different genres.
Q: And you all have been touring pretty non-stop over the past year?
A: Yeah, pretty heavily. Right now, we’re doing shows every weekend; Noah and Jay are still going to school Monday-Thursday and then we all meet up after they get out and we head out to wherever we’re playing that weekend.
Q: What would you say has been your biggest accomplishment so far as the six-piece group you are now?
A: Getting the new record done, I would say. Getting all of those songs written and record and really just becoming a group. Before Oleg and Noah showed up, we had about 6 months where we were having to hire a different drummer every week and it was really, really tough. Shortly after Oleg joined full time, we met Noah and we were able to complete the sound we had been striving for.
Q: So, the new album comes out this Sunday, April 1st- can you tell me about the inspirations behind it?
A: The whole concept is familiar and nostalgia. It focuses on objects and things that were relevant to Jay’s life since he wrote the songs, but that everyone can somehow find a way to relate to them. There’s a song for everybody, that speaks to somebody. …it’s a well-rounded album.
The crowd slowly trickled in with excitement and of course, anticipation for the new album!
ELLAMENO BEAT
The Ellameno Beat kicked off the show with their high-energy performance and progressive-roots style music. They express deeper meanings about life and passions through their music and always get the crowd vibing. The group is currently playing various shows along the East Coast and is also working on a new music video while on the road! Make sure to check out www.theellamenobeat.com for more of their upcoming shows and projects.
RARE CREATURES
Rare Creatures took the stage next! This alternative rock band from Charleston has been together for a short amount of time, but they definitely know what they’re doing. They gave a killer performance, playing new songs that they’ve been in the studio recording. Their album is set to release in May, so make sure to keep an eye out for that!
LITTLE BIRD
Little Bird kept the energy in the room going when they began their set. This six-piece group perfectly captures and blends the sounds of many different genres. They gave a soulful, powerful and also simultaneously down-to earth performance. You could tell they were enjoying every moment and every song they played! They even collaborated with Soul Power Slim rappers during their set which got the crowd even more hype! It is always great to see local artists supporting each other and collaborating during shows. One aspect of their performance that really stood out to me was vocalist Shelby McDaniel’s powerful vocals combined with their blended music style. It results in a very unique sound and vibe.
The album release show was definitely a success and such a fun show to attend. All three bands that played were awesome and definitely groups you should follow to make sure you don’t miss their next show near you. Little Bird’s album “Familiar” is out now and can be found on Spotify, ITunes, and other places you may purchase music! So, go give it a listen and embrace the nostalgia of your younger days.
Coverage by Mia Naome
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