Rival Sons and Friends at The Fillmore 

Photos and Review by: Jamie LeBlanc

Lineup: Starcrawler, The Record Company, Rival Sons

Venue: The Fillmore, Silver Spring, MD

Date: May 30, 2023

The night started with the unique, explosive band Starcrawler. They are a rock band 5 piece that is led by the insanely talented and energetic frontwoman Arrow de Wilde. As of 2022 they have two studio albums that have received tremendous support from some of the biggest names in music: Elton John, Iggy pop, Jack White and even Dave Ghrol have all shared raving reviews! The show started off with a bang playing their hit “Goodtime Girl.” The energy of their set never stopped and received a loud POP from the crowd when they played their cover of “Pet Sematary.” 

Next up was legendary bluesy rock band The Record Company. If you are new to their scene all that you need to know is that the bands instrumental vibes are led by amazing bassist Alex Stiff and heavy hitting drummer Marc Cazorla. Where some real magic comes in is lead vocalist Chris Vos’ ability to switch from his unique soulful voice, to down south deep blues harmonica, and back again all while maintaining a huge stage presence. The set opened with “On the Move” which got the crowd up and moving, but their second song of the night “Baby I’m Broken” really set the tone for the night. Not only did I feel the energy from the crowed I had to remind myself to stop singing along in the pit and get back to taking pictures. Like all the great blues bands, The Record Company finds a way to open up that special place in your soul and lets the music flow through. 

By 9 o’clock it was time for Rival Sons! I’m not sure how else to describe this unique Rock N Roll band aside from saying they make you feel like you’re transported through all the ages of rock in one band. The can range from songs like “Tied Up” with hints of The Black Keys to “Open My Eyes” which takes you back to the Stones. Lead Guitarist Scott Holiday came on to the stage looking like Doc Holiday and playing like Slash. His ability to absolutely SHRED without an obnoxious string pulling speed is truly remarkable. It was lead vocalist Jay Buchanan who was adorned in one of the coolest burgundy suits I’ve ever seen that really commanded the crowd. His voice has a way to energize you but also make you feel this old time comfort. Through the entire set, Rival Sons impressed The Fillmore with a unique sound that is all their own.