Every chord, every verse, every body angle is necessary to produce the sound and vibe of Callowhill. You can hear it on their first full-length, The Way Out, which drops Friday. The album possesses an indie-rock sound as welcome and comfortable as your favorite sneakers. We got a taste of it live last night, when the Philly foursome—Julia Gaylord, Nikki Karam, Katy Otto and John Pettit—played a stunning set at Boot & Saddle. Here are some photos from the evening and moments we’re still thinking about today.
1. The layers of sound
The guitars of Karam and Gaylord mix with Pettit’s bass, Otto’s drums and the band’s vocals to create a rich sound that’s easy on the ears. It was especially noticeable in their performance of the album’s title track and the last song of the night—with the harmonies of Gaylord and Pettit melding seamlessly with the crunch and jangle of strings and percussion.
2. The evolution of the group
This was my fifth time seeing Callowhill since 2015, so I’ve seen firsthand the exceptional evolution of the group from an up-and-coming act to one that’s quickly becoming a force on the Philadelphia rock scene. The brilliant shift in energy in such catchy tunes as “Bright Red” show off a ticking time bomb of rock awesomeness. The music industry better take notice.
3. Shredding from Baltimore
New Baltimore band Rogue Conjurer opened with a stirring, introspective set that highlighted Tonie Joy’s guitar artistry. It’s totally worth a listen, especially if you can see him live.
4. Shredding from Philadelphia
The night began with some exciting bombast courtesy of local band Great Weights. It was a brief entry into what will surely be great music to come. Keep your ears peeled, they’ll be recording later this year.
