4/21/23
Nortons Brewing Company, Norton, KS
You would be hard pressed to find a rock concert more wonderfully relaxed than the easy-going three-act show at Norton’s Brewing Company on April 21st. This show provided the blanket-covered, beer-sipping patrons of the popular Wichita brewery some top tier Friday night entertainment.
First up was bluesy rock outfit, Daikini. They reminded me of some of the great stoner rock bands. Not just in their clean, melodic vocals and atmospheric musicianship, but also in their even-keeled temperament. There’s a balance of old school sensibilities and modern rock edge that make them a must for fans of Greta Van Fleet or Wolfmother. Their aforementioned self-titled EP is available wherever you stream music.
Following Daikini was the band that certainly deserves the “Best Dressed” award, The Comfort Revue. Continuing the trend of old school sensibilities, this band offers a comfortably familiar sound for fans of any number of genres. Their music varies from song to song — from country to soul to rhythm & blues, reminding me of early rockabilly musicians in that way, like Jerry Lee Lewis or Carl Perkins, you see the influence of any number of genres. I see that same inventiveness and diversity in their sound. Any rockabilly fans will feel right at home with the Comfort Revue’s music. Although they don’t have music available to stream at the moment, they are active in the live music scene. So, don’t miss your next opportunity to see them live.
Closing out the night was the celebrated Wichita staple, Vehicles. Deriving their moniker from the notion that music & art in general can be “vehicles” for bringing people together in the name of having a collective emotional experience, Vehicles clearly has the capacity to do just that. There’s an ineffable quality to the highly emotional rock music that they play. The soulfulness of their music creates a more personal experience. It reminds me of Radiohead or Pink Floyd in that it’s the sort of thing you can’t just passively listen to. There’s an emotional immediacy to their music that prompts attentiveness. For that reason their set is when the relaxed atmosphere of the show felt most appropriate. Fans of anthemic, poignant rock music, like U2 or Travic will likely connect with the deep well of full-length albums from Vehicles available on Spotify and Apple Music.
