The Henry Clay People
Life has been pretty darn good for Glendale, California's The Henry Clay People. Last year's Airborne Toxic Event cavalcade (twice passing through Boston) brought them out of notable Eastside L.A. clubs like Spaceland and The Echo to share what was up until then a well-kept secret: that these guys were ridiculously good fun. Since then, they've played festivals like Austin City Limits and Lollapalooza, toured with Against Me! and Silversun Pickups, and most recently with Drive-By Truckers. Last time they were here, it was for a - valient as it was - shoehorned-in set as the first band at WFNX's boisterous Lansdowne Street Clambake. This time, at long last, they have a proper headlining spot so long deserved at T.T. the Bear's Place.
The Henry Clay People are lovers of classic rock sounds and timeless guitar riffs courtesy of brothers Andy and Joey Siara, with Jonathan and Eric's propulsive rhythm section and Jordan's barroom honky-tonk piano. They have this wacky, rollicking, inebriated enthusiasm (sorry, it's tough to avoid the booze analogies with HCP, but it always - somehow - manages to stay on its jangly, jagged track.) There's a lyrical sophistication too that gives the songs a kind of knowing slyness while avoiding pretension. A song like "This Ain't A Scene" (one of their best-loved amongst those in the know) is simply a perfect piece of rock 'n' roll. Starting out slow and thoughtful ("We had dreams / they were better off dreams / so you kept them away from me.."), it builds and builds into something truly majestic.
Deceptively simple, their music gets under the skin. Heartwarming harmonies center around the Siara brothers, who play off each other musically and physically, perhaps as only two brothers forced to travel cross-country together in cramped quarters can. Their latest album, Somewhere On The Golden Coast (on TBD Records), combines a few older favorites like "Working Part Time" and "This Ain't A Scene" with newer songs - a good introduction to that wider audience.
Oct 13 - Chapel Hill, NC
Local 506
Oct 14 - Washington, DC
The Black Cat
Oct 15 - Philadelphia, PA
Kungfu Necktie
Oct 16 - NYC
Mercury Lounge
Oct 17 - Cambridge, MA
TT The Bear's Place
Oct 19 - Chicago, IL
Empty Bottle
Oct 20 - Minneapolis, MN
7th Street Entry
Oct 22 - Denver, CO
Larimer Lounge
Oct 23 - Salt Lake City, UT
Kilby Court
Oct 25 - Seattle, WA
The Crocodile
Oct 26 - Portland, OR
Doug Fir Lounge
Oct 28 - San Francisco, CA
Bottom of the Hill
Oct 29 - Los Angeles
The Echoplex
Local 506
Oct 14 - Washington, DC
The Black Cat
Oct 15 - Philadelphia, PA
Kungfu Necktie
Oct 16 - NYC
Mercury Lounge
Oct 17 - Cambridge, MA
TT The Bear's Place
Oct 19 - Chicago, IL
Empty Bottle
Oct 20 - Minneapolis, MN
7th Street Entry
Oct 22 - Denver, CO
Larimer Lounge
Oct 23 - Salt Lake City, UT
Kilby Court
Oct 25 - Seattle, WA
The Crocodile
Oct 26 - Portland, OR
Doug Fir Lounge
Oct 28 - San Francisco, CA
Bottom of the Hill
Oct 29 - Los Angeles
The Echoplex
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