Westside Cowboy at Night Club 101 [photos + review]

Manchester’s Westside Cowboy have been steadily ascending their fare share of buzz, but in a slow and steady way that feels appropriate and most importantly, sustainable. On December 10, the quartet made their US live debut in NYC for a sold out performance at Night Club 101.

The show came in support of their debut EP, This Better Be Something Great, released earlier in the year, while also promoting their upcoming sophomore EP, So Much Country ‘Till We Get There, which will be released on January 23 and feels like the next step towards something much bigger.

The performance was a remarkable debut, in that it felt like a big moment of arrival for them playing to a sold out room on their very first performance stateside. But also because there felt like there was a genuine excitement from the crowd not just to see the next “buzzy band” but more of a general eagerness and appreciation to hear some great new music.

They delivered a set that features big time indie rockers with precision and pace such as “I’ve Never Met Anyone I Thought I Could Really Love (Until I Met You)” and their newly shared single, “Can’t See”, which hit me in the way that makes you realize that you’re seeing the start of something great.

But equally exciting was their wide-array of genre-bending tracks that begin in one lane, before shifting into something unexpected. Such as the enchanting power of “Strange Taxidermy” or the alt country/folk finale of “In the Morning” that closed things out in a heartwarming fashion. There were also unreleased tracks such as ” Pinup Boys” that stood out as a particular highlight, alongside the live debut of “Paper Chains.”

The future is bright for Westside Cowboy, who you can expect to be playing bigger rooms with much more hype in the ensuing months, and we can’t wait to see what else the future holds. Find a full gallery of photos, along with the setlist, now below.

Westside Cowboy setlist: