Torres – Johnny Brenda’s – Philadelphia PA – January 20, 2016 – Photo by Chris Sikich © 2016
Torres & Palehound – Johnny Brenda’s – Philadelphia, PA – January 20, 2016
Last Wednesday Torres held court over an enthralled Johnny Brenda’s crowd. Playing mainly from the brilliant 2015 Sprinter, Mackenzie Scott, aka Torres, showed off the expansive rock territory of nine tracks. From the enthralling title track anthem to the other-worldly reaches of “New Skin” and the show opener “Mother Earth, Father God” from the self-titled first album, it was a stunning display of rock agility.
Torres – Johnny Brenda’s – Philadelphia PA – January 20, 2016 – Photo by Chris Sikich © 2016
Scott’s voice, which is a mix of grunge and Annie Lennox, and her vast sonic narratives of lyric, guitar, keys and percussion require active listening. In a venue that all-too-often can be overtaken by voices from the bar, the crowd showed deep respect and engagement with the music. And that is as it should be, as Torres is a musical force that can only get exponentially better and a larger audience with time.
Palehound – Johnny Brenda’s – Philadelphia PA – January 20, 2016 – Photo by Chris Sikich © 2016
Opener Palehound set the stage with a riveting set of alternative vibes. Led by Ellen Kempner, they dazzled the Philly crowd with offerings from the 2015 Dry Food. Exclaiming how much she likes Philadelphia did not hurt, and her honest lyrics and awesome guitar and vocal performance show that her and her band are not to be missed.
Chris Sikich
Copyright ©2016 PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved. Posted: January 24, 2016.
Photos by Chris Sikich © 2016