If I was a member of London five piece band Dry the River, I would probably hold onto my hard hat. Things are going to get crazy. The band had just completed a mega successful SXSW trip and judging by the rapturous reception they had in Toronto, It won’t be a gross exaggeration to say that the band will soon be headlining venues much larger than the Garrison.
Taking the stage shortly after 9:30, you would be hard pressed to imagine the band sounding like they do. Bassist Scott Miller has arms full of tattoos while lead guitarist Peter Liddle’s disheveled haircut makes him look like he should be fronting a early 00s King of Leon’s tribute band. That perception all changes when the two open their mouths and you suddenly realize holy crap, this band can sing. The next 45 minutes consisted of majestic, soaring, pastoral tracks that featured dueling vocals, strings, a great rhythm and incredible surges between the tender and non tender moments of a song. Few new bands are this good this fast, and fewer new bands play knowing they are that good. I think Dry the River is one of these bands.
If I was to make a lazy comparison, I would say Dry the River is probably Bon Iver meets Mumford & Sons. They’ll be big, and it’ll happen fast. Catch them while you can.
ps. The picture was taken when we saw them at SXSW, so the Garrison did not undergo massive renovations.