(Author’s Note: I had the pleasure of interviewing Sons Of The East a few weeks ago. To learn a bit more about them, see my Denver Entertainment Hub post from October 8.)
I’ve been a fan of Sons Of The East since I first heard their debut album, Palomar Parade, shortly after its release in September of 2022. Their ability to mix, match and blend genres – folk, country, rock, bluegrass, and soul, to name a few – is something special. Palomar Parade was a very strong debut album.
This past June, Sons Of The East (SOTE) released their sophomore album, simply called SONS. There’s nothing simple about this outstanding twelve song set. With SONS raising the bar, it’s fair to say this is a band that has arrived.
In support of the new album, the Australian trio (Dan Wallage on guitar and banjo, Nic Johnston on vocals, keys and mandolin, and Jack Rollins on vocals, guitar, and harmonica) have been on the road for the past two plus months. And last night, they brought their SONS World Tour to The Summit in Denver.
Taking the stage at straight up 9:00 PM, SOTE delivered an eighteen song, hour and fifteen minute set (sixteen song regular set, plus two song encore). The set drew heavily from the SONS and Palomar Parade albums (six and five songs, respectively). The remaining songs covered a lot of ground, including all three of the EPs released by the band prior to Palomar Parade, plus a couple of singles thrown in for good measure. (The full setlist, in order, can be found in the photo gallery below.)
The performance was exceptional. There’s just SO MUCH TALENT on display here. Individually Wallage, Rollins, and Johnston are tremendous musicians and vocalists. Wallage’s banjo plucking is a pure joy. Rollins’ harmonica, highlighted in songs like “You Might Think” and “Wish I Knew,” is hauntingly Springsteen-esque. Johnston’s gorgeous, emotive vocals have you feeling, as well as hearing.
But if there’s one thing that is the signature of this band, it’s the harmonies created when Rollins, Johnston, and Wallage blend their distinctive vocal styles together as one. If it’s a slow, tender ballad, the harmonies can almost send you into a dream state. If it’s an up tempo country rock tune, they will take you to your happy place. Add in a little of Wallage’s banjo and just like that, you’ve got yourself a little party going.
Although there’s no formal, designated frontman for SOTE, on stage it’s Rollins who steps into that role. The stage setup, with Wallage to the left, Johnston to the right, and Rollins in the center, tends to drive that dynamic. Wandering the stage, strumming his acoustic guitar, and playing the harmonica held in his harp rack, Rollins assumes that role almost by default. And when he wanders into the crowd, as he did last night during the song “You Might Think,” it pretty much seals the deal. (FYI… in my interview with the band earlier this month, Rollins says of his journeys into the crowd, “I just get out there and have a dance.” Like so much about this band, I find that description/explanation to be simply enchanting.)
Highlights of the evening were many…
A little over half-way through the set, the backing band (drummer Jake Bennett and bassist Joey Plunkett, who, like a lot of rhythm sections don’t get the credit they deserve) left the stage for a two song, acoustic interlude. Johnston picked up a mandolin, and joined Rollins on acoustic guitar, and Wallage on banjo around a single microphone to perform “Time Will Tell” and “Torn.” That latter song, originally performed by Ednaswap but ultimately made famous by fellow Australian Natalie Imbruglia, was the lone non-original tune of the evening. (SOTE recorded and released it as a single in 2024.)
I already mentioned Rollins’ walkabout during the song “You Might Think,” but it warrants a second look. Rollins does this routinely during SOTE shows, but usually there’s an easier path into the crowd than he had to take last night. He jumped down from the stage, then had to jump over the barricade four or five feet in front of the stage, just to get into the crowd. After several minutes dancing and singing amongst the faithful, he jokingly hugged and kissed a male member of the crowd on the head, then jumped back over the barricade to get back to the stage. All this while continuing to perform the song.
Twice during the set the attention turned to Johnston for a pair of the evening’s most affecting tunes, “Undone” and “Into The Sun”. (If you aren’t familiar with these songs, the links provided will take you to the videos for them.) The three-part harmonies in “Into The Sun” were simply gorgeous. That song in particular was a legitimate showstopper.
There’s a bottom line here, that probably should be obvious by now. I make no apologies for the fact that I’m biased about the artists and shows I choose to cover. Sons Of The East is one of my favorite bands for a reason. Their music is simply fantastic. Listening to it makes you feel good. The songwriting is superb. The musicianship is exceptional. The vocals, especially the harmonies, are stunning. And you know what? They are every bit as good performing live as they are on their records. Last night’s show, from the opening “Recognise” (no, that’s not a typo) to the closing “Another Night,” was one of the best shows I’ve seen all year. Not only has this band arrived, but baby, they are going places.
A HUGE shoutout to all the folks who made their way to the Summit for this terrific show. Going in, I wondered what kind of crowd to expect. SOTE have played the Colorado front range a handful of times over the past three years, but in much smaller rooms, and just twice in Denver. They’ve become a pretty big deal on the world stage, but what kind of fan base do they have here in Denver?
The answer, simply put, is “an awesome one”. I don’t know if the room was officially sold out, but it certainly looked to be close. And let me tell you… this loud and proud bunch was there to party. That was just fine with SOTE. In our discussion earlier this month, Wallage told me, “We’re a band that thrives on energy.” The crowd gave it, and the band gave it right back. You guys just freaking rocked!
A special shoutout to one member of the crowd in particular… my new BFF Matias, who drove from Utah, and camped out for two nights, just to see SOTE live… for the third time. Dude, your dedication to live music is inspiring. I hope you had a safe drive home.
A final shoutout to the artist who opened for SOTE last night, another fellow Australian, Kim Churchill. His energetic, rousing, crowd pleasing opening set (seven songs, forty minutes) truly got the crowd going. Churchill also joined SOTE for “Millionaire”, the first song of their encore. You really need to check this dude out… he’s worth the try. Click on this link to make your way to his website: Kim Churchill. (I also included a shot of him in the photo gallery below.)
Story and photos by Rick Witt www.rickwittphotography.com
