Making their maiden voyage through Albany, Kendall Street Company had fans jumping for joy on Friday, April 28th when they brought their barefoot brand of high energy, jam-infused beach rock, along with their signature sense of humor, to Lark Hall for the first time. As enlightening as it was entertaining, it was the kind of show that sent you home thinking you’d just danced with the stars of tomorrow, today. The type of band that makes sure everyone is having fun, and If you didn’t this night, why were you even there in the first place?
Based out of Charlottesville, VA, the band originally formed in 2013 and has been riding a steady wave of momentum since the end of the pandemic. Thanks in large part to constant touring, dedicated songwriting and finding a balance between humor, business and being the best of buds, Kendall Street Company consists of frontman Louis Smith on rhythm guitar and vocals, the dress wearing Brian Roy on Bass, Ryan Wood on drums, Ben Lederberg on electric guitar, and saxophonist/keyboard player Jake Vanaman. Their sound is often hard to categorize, a melting pot of various styles and influences ranging from soul-searching blues, to jazz inspired bluegrass, to psychedelic yacht rock, to straight up feel-good pop rock. Along with an equally diverse and impressive list of covers in their bag, Kendall Street Company showcased it all on this Friday night in Albany.
Opening the performance with their latest single “Becca’s Dad,” followed by “Wineglass Television,” we got our first cover song of the night in the form of the Grateful Dead‘s “Bertha,” which the Lark Hall faithful happily ate up. Having reviewed several Lark Hall shows in the past, it never once occurred to me what the bird actually sounds like. Thanks to one of the most memorable and educational moments of the night, however, it’s now a chirp I don’t think I’ll ever forget. In deadpan poker face, KSC frontman Louis Smith would take us to school by calling up a Lark sound effect and piping it through the PA system long enough to where it was funny, then unfunny, then hypnotic and then funny again. Amusing themselves and the audience alike, make no mistake, these guys are serious musicians.
Continuing on with “Porridge,” “Unwind (Boiler Jam),” and a surprise cover of “Ode to Viceroy” by Mac DeMarco, the band would play another unreleased new song called “Trapeze”. The highlight of the night came next when fans in the crowd approached the stage and gifted the band a few containers of Aged White Cheddar potato chips, clearly a request for the guys to play their song of the same name. After taking a moment for a mid-set snack, as if the knock-off Pringles were communion wafers, not only would the band grant the request, they would jam it out using the chip containers as percussion shakers! While everyone in the audience was legitimately laughing out loud, the guys made note how the chips were a little dry and made them thirsty. Whether it was a planned bit, or spontaneous like I hope it was, it was effective and endeared the guys to the Albany crowd even more.
After “Sweet and Clean,” we got our third cover song of the night with “Doctor Worm” by They Might Be Giants. Speaking from the heart and getting a little sentimental, Kendall Street Company would then play the first song they ever wrote together, the irresistible “Cars.” Showing promise from the very beginning, on this night, KSC took a hard left during the song, detouring to the 5 boroughs and mashing it up with the Beastie Boys classic anthem “No Sleep Till Brooklyn.” “Laura, I’m Sorry About the Cobbler” would bring the main portion of the show to a close and leave the audience hungry for more. Happy to entertain the intimate crowd, Kendall Street Company would get a little sexy on the humorous encore of “Stanley Birddogmouth,” resulting in full audience participation similar to what you might see during a “YMCA” sing-along. As ridiculous as it was fun, it was hard not to get caught up in the charming antics Kendall Street Company provided to the unassuming Albany audience. This unteachable charisma and their innate ability to connect will surely help them go as far as they want to.
After taking a little time off to celebrate drummer Ryan Wood’s wedding, the band is set to make several east cost appearances later this summer. With upcoming stops in Pembroke, MA, Asbury Park, NJ and a late night Phish after party at The Cutting Room in NYC, Kendall Street Company will also take part in some major festivals like Strangecreek Campout and The Peach Music Festival in Scranton, PA. A band on the rise and one you definitely need to see live, if you’re looking for some good tunes, a good time and good company, Kendall Street has plenty to offer.
Kendall Street Company | 4/28/2023| Lark Hall | Albany, NY
Setlist: Becca’s Dad, Wineglass Television, Betha [1] , Porridge, Unwind (Boiler Jam), Ode To Viceroy [2] , Trapeze, Aged White Cheddar, Sweet & Clean, Doctor Worm [3] , Cars > No Sleep Till Brooklyn (Albany),> Cars, Laura, I’m Sorry About the Cobbler
Encore: Stanley Birddogmouth (Sensual version)
[1] The Grateful Dead cover
[2] Mac Demarco cover
[3] They Might Be Giants cover
[4] Beastie Boys cover
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