Last night I went to the launch of Sons of Calibers debut EP The Tundra in the Black Box in Belfast. There has been a bit of a buzz surrounding this band locally in recent months for folk type fans and this gig fully illustrated the enthusiasm people have for their music and by the end of their set, as they took a bow to rapturous applause and cheers, it seems like they could be a band on the cusp of something very exciting.
Sons of Caliber describe themselves as evoking a “sound once narrated as an echo from times past, and a sensation from times present. ‘Music for Folks’ it has been rendered.” Front man Andrew Farmer formed the band after spending time in North Carolina and decided to blend the art of Irish story telling and folk music with a Southern Bible belt beat. They’re a band that wear their hearts on their sleeves, evident through their heart felt lyrics, taking you on a melodic journey with glorious harmonies from Rosie Barry.
They kick off the set with the Mumford-esque Falling For You, the perfect opener getting the crowd clapping and stomping along. As you would expect all the tracks from the EP are showcased, My Way of Thinking is a highlight, plucky acoustic guitar with Andrew and Rosie gently begging “won’t you come round to my way of thinking?” which builds to a bluegrassy hoedown towards the end as cries of hey ring round the room. Live favourites Yellow Rose and Apple Core which do not feature on the EP are also given an outing. The gorgeous Young Dove is saved for the encore, ending the night off with the crowd singing the refrain “you put the man on the moon”, a special moment you can tell isn’t wasted on the five piece.
You can check out The Tundra on the bands Bandcamp: http://sonsofcaliber.bandcamp.com/
Check them out if you like: Mumford and Sons & Fleet Foxes.
The video above is a performance they did in the lead up to Open House Festival last year and features a cover of Fleet Foxes Someone You’d Admire along with their own song Young Dove.
