Photo Credit – Chelsea Kornse
Family And Friends
6/16/18
Fountain Square, 520 Vine St, Cincinnati, OH
All Ages, Free, 7pm
Athens-based indie folk/rock collective Family And Friends will perform at Fifth & Vine Live on June 16 in support of their debut full-length album Felix Culpa , releasing independently on June 8. Built on the idea that the sum is greater than the individual parts, Family And Friends has steadily gained a loyal following with their spirited live performances and “good music, good people” mantra since releasing their 2015 EP XOXO. The new album, produced by Brad Wood (Liz Phair, Smashing Pumpkins and Sunny Day Real Estate), widens their musical palette with an electrifying infusion of tribal rhythms, psychedelic and tropical elements, prog rock and melodic sounds. PopMatters recently featured the anthemic new track “Winding Roads” with an extensive Q&A. View HERE for more insight.
Family And Friends’ fiery live performances have been turning casual viewers into full-on believers all over the southeast, as their collaborative concept begs audiences to feel as much a part of the experience as the musicians on stage. The band’s infectious, dynamic songs become even more intoxicating in a live setting, with epic builds that crash over the roar of two drummers, who play facing each other to feed off one another’s energy. A Family And Friends performance is pure, unadulterated fun with a familiarity that is immediately endearing and a lightning bolt of enthusiasm that is undeniably gratifying. To see for yourself, watch a clip of the band’s hometown performance last fall HERE.
Whereas Family And Friends’ first EP focused heavily on love, and the second on nostalgia, Felix Culpa is caught somewhere between adolescence and adulthood. With a classic coming-of-age narrative, the album’s theme focuses on a precipice of life’s journey, as we begin the quest for existential meaning and come to terms with the fact that people and relationships are more complicated than we realize. Balancing scintillating textures with bright guitars and beautiful vocal harmonies, Felix Culpa articulates the often frustrating and difficult time that many experience during their mid-20’s in a way that is universally relatable to people of all ages. As deep and philosophical as the subject matter may seem, Family And Friends’ sharply observant lyrics are cloaked in the band’s contagiously upbeat instrumentation, leaving the listener with a sense of hope by album’s end.
