Photo © 2017 by: Erika Goldring
Having just completed a tour with the Who, Brooklyn’s, The London Souls hit Lollapalooza like a ton of bricks with their hard-hitting, classic rock and soulful performance. Just two members, Chris St. Hilaire on drums and vocals and Tash Neal on guitar and vocals, they play so ‘fully’ and proficiently on their instruments, that more band members would actually seem like overkill. They have stated in fact, that having more band members in the band would not allow them the musical freedom that they currently enjoy now as a duo.
Taking the BMI stage at Lollapalooza, they set the tone right out of the gate with their take on Little Richard’s ‘Lucille’ letting everyone know what they’re about. The crowd was energized; starved even, for their sounds, like no one has rocked out this good in decades and they did not disappoint.
They played a nine song set with only three of those songs being from their album ‘Here Come the Girls’ and included a nice, long soulful groove cover of ‘Be Thankful for What You’ve Got by William DeVaughn. I’ve always loved that song and they did the song justice and with all the people dancing to it, I’d say the crowd agreed as well.
The original material that they performed, like ‘Honey’ and ‘The River’ was fresh yet kept true to all the core elements of the genre, which I have to say is not easy to do without sounding cliché. The London Souls are as authentic to their music and themselves as it gets and that is, what I believe, what separates them from any other bands even remotely like them.
The London Souls are not due back to the Chicago area anytime in the immediate future, but check their official site for their tour dates, or follow them on their social media sites listed below for the next time they’re in town, you won’t be disappointed one bit.
Biography:
The London Souls’ unique reinterpretation of classic hard-hitting rock and roll formulae recalls elements of the past with an ever-present boundless energy, fit to cement their place in the future. Tash and Chris have been nothing short of a best-kept secret among New York City concertgoers since the band’s formation in 2008, building a fervent and dynamic fan base leveraged by their ever sustained reputation for consistently well-rehearsed and impassioned, explosive live performances. The band’s celebrated sound and spirit draws significant influence from the driving force of British rock pioneers Cream and Led Zeppelin to billowing and bouncing funk and soul, to the layered harmonies and memorable hooks of The Beatles and The Hollies, to the contemporary psychedelia of My Morning Jacket among many more.
Video:
Links:
The London Souls:
Official: http://www.thelondonsouls.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thelondonsouls
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheLondonSouls
Lollapalooza:
Official: http://www.lollapalooza.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lollapalooza
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lollapalooza
BMI:
Official: https://www.bmi.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/broadcastmusicinc
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bmi
Erika Goldring:
Official: https://www.erikagoldring.com/
Facebook: N/A
Twitter: N/A
