“Wow, you guys have really good tempo.” The Kopecky Family Band’s Gabe Simon was right about our ability as the audience clapped at a rock steady beat, but his humble flattery couldn’t distract from the brilliant performances playing out before us. At the Frequency last Friday night, The Eastern Sea and The Kopecky Family Band graciously left their warmer-than-here Southern homes to show their wares. Though the touring pair have admitted become close during their tour, their respective shows, while both immensely personal, were otherwise starkly different.
As The Eastern Sea casually walked through the crowd to mount the stage and begin their set, a feeling of reverence crept into the room that refused to fade. Accompanied by the usual strings and percussion as well as a pivotal trumpet, lead singer Matt Hines and his trusty beard put on a set that was not the kind that people yell and cheer for. Instead, The Eastern Sea inspired a contemplative and reflective feeling prompting respectful silence, evoking sounds and feelings reminiscent of the work of Sufjan Stevens. Hines displayed his vocal power and range while the trumpet served as a second vocalist, with the two alternating between melodies and harmonies in a stunning juggling act. Though the act held a persisting thread of melancholy, it was not without a sullen sort of humor. Staggering down the stairs into the crowd during a particularly slow track amidst giggles of confusion, Hines simply finished the song, looked up, returned to the stage, and muttered, “Sorry if I got in your way…”
An exchange of bands ushered in an entirely new feeling. Faced with six members and a stage meant to fit far fewer, The Kopecky Family Band was unfazed: bumping into instruments and repeatedly falling into one another, yet without a skipped beat or reacted with anything more than a grin. The night’s second set featured a mid-song dual trombone session, impressive drumline-style snare work by the guitarist, and songs ranging from gripping duets to fast and furious six-member jams. The Family truly brought with them the spirit of a warm reunion, fit with a blissful energy which instigated raucous cheers and laughter. Their accessible single “Heartbeats” elicited an expected fan singalong, but reactions to other gems like “The Glow” and the powerful chorus of “My Way” exposed the fact that the room was packed with true blue Family Band fans, a group that I now find myself among.