It wasn’t clear whether or not anyone in the audience at Rough Trade in Brooklyn knew what they were in for when Christopher Denny took the stage on September 15th. Opening for beloved Philly band Strand of Oaks (a seemingly odd pairing), Denny stood unassumingly on stage with his guitar and played a stunning set. If you’re lucky enough to have heard his new record If the Roses Don’t Kill Us, than you know how special that voice is. But until you’ve stood in the room with him and listened to him sing, you haven’t truly experienced all the raw talent he has to offer.
Denny’s voice is an uncommon one, registering naturally very high. But when you hear him speak, it’s clear that his singing voice is completely genuine. His songs are heartbreakingly beautiful, and though he sounds crystal clear on his record, his live voice is even better. You can hear every little rasp and imperfection (though there aren’t many, honestly), and there was an undeniable soulfulness and magic to his performance.
Singing songs off the new record like “Happy Sad”, “Our Kind of Love”, “If the Roses Don’t Kill Us”, and the resoundingly beautiful “God’s Height”, Denny was down to earth, even when it was clear that the audience was dumbfounded by the way his voice echoed across the room. He knows how to play to an audience, and his confidence is what makes him stand out as much as his incredible guitar playing and singing. And the audience adored his rendition of the John Prine classic “All the Best”. Denny is humble, but secure, and his easy, effortless interaction with the crowd drew them in even more. If this man comes to your town, do not miss it.
When Strand of Oaks, led by the indomitable Timothy Showalter, took the stage, the crowd was thrilled. Coming full circle this year headlining Bowery Ballroom this December (where only last year he was an opening act), Strand of Oaks have significantly grown their fan base. They played a pretty hard rocking set, including many songs of their new record released earlier this year titled Heal. Showalter has been known to put on a quieter, more haunting live show, but with the addition of a talented female keyboardist and backup singer, and with powerful drums, guitar and bass, this was a multi-dimensional, head-banging set.
Opening with the soaring “Satellite Moon”, it was clear that Showalter and his band were extremely pumped up for this show. From the psychedelic hair metal of “For Me” to the nostalgic garage grunge of “Goshen ‘97”, they barely came up for air until Showalter did a few quieter numbers that left the audience captivated, particularly the beautiful “Sister Evangeline.
Showalter is a dramatic performer with serious stage presence, and a serious head of hair. It was evident from both his and Denny’s sets that the two had become fast friends while on tour together. Hearing the way they praised each other, you could picture them having long talks and learning a lot from each other musically—not to mention they seem like two of the nicest guys you’ve ever met. The vibes were damn good at this show, and though it seemed like an unlikely pairing of artists, the energy was just right.
