There are some shows that take on a legendary vibe. The kind of shows that instantly bond those who were at them – whether it’s the person standing next you as the performer sings and plays guitar while mounted on the shoulders of a fan in the crowd or the ones that meet later online to leave comments like, “Did that show really happen or was it just a kickass dream?” The kind of shows where a drum is placed in the middle of the pit at the same time. The kind of shows that take place indoors, but leave the audience drenched like they were hit by a tsunami. The kind of show that show that Reignwolf put on at the Bowery Ballroom back on the 24th of June four years ago. And that was the kind of show that Jordan Cook, S.J. Kardash, and Joseph Braley tantalized fans with at Irving Plaza on September 27th.
But before Cook and company shook the crowd down to its rock and roll DNA, Bones Owens set the stage with a rollicking bluesy sound. Owens and drummer Lance Bennett put a good case for being your new favorite way to tell your friends that all it takes to rock out is one guitar, one drummer and a deep love of the Mississippi delta blues.
And four years ago, all it took Jordan Cook to rock out was also one guitar and one drum kit. Only he decided to play them both at the same time. Oh yeah, and sing too (Disclaimer, there was bassist and drummer backing him up that night, just not on every song). That was the kind of show Reignwolf fans at Irving Plaza were expecting. And Cook, Kardash, and Braley did not disappoint.
You know the night at the Bowery was special when even the artist asks who was there four years ago and lets you know that it left just as big an impact on him. Cook had his trademark beanie on…no scratch that…his trademark has to be his ability to take over a crowd, not just by force of personality, but with the help of some riveting guitar licks and the ability to wail with the legends. His music seems to be matched only by his showmanship. From his dark shirt and dark jeans to the mixture of alternating near darkness and colored lights with the requisite fog machine, you’re not only seeing a rock concert but what is tantamount to a spiritual journey. One that ends with your mind blown, your jaw stuck on agape, and an immediate desire to make sure that everyone you know, knows of the coming of Reignwolf.
And all the while that Cook is climbing up on top the stacks, within what looks like arms reach of the balcony crowd or the whole band is in the pit playing amidst and atop the fans, they never miss a beat musically. The quality and intensity of the music is maintained even during those instrumental jams to keep the flow going while they set up a drum kit in the middle of the floor.
By the end of the night, Cook was covered in sweat, but the audience was covered in the knowledge that they just witnessed another where they’d soon be asking each other, “Did that really happen?”
Bones Owens:
Reignwolf:
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