WHEN: Thurs. Dec. 4, 2014 | 8 PM
WHERE: Conundrum Music Hall
HOW MUCH: $5
WHEN: Thurs. Nov. 20, 2014 | 8 PM
WHERE: Charleston Music Hall. 37 John St.
HOW MUCH: $10 ADV | $13.50 DOS (Tickets)
Next Thursday Bombadil returns to the Holy City for an evening at the Charleston Music Hall with support from Johnny Delaware and Stefanie Santana.
Hailing from Durham, North Carolina, Bombadil are masters of quirky pop-folk. From their first LP A Buzz, a Buzz to their most recent Metrics of Affection, they have succeeded in staying true to their melodic roots while their lyrics mature more and more with each passing album.
I had the chance to ask Bombadil’s drummer James Phillips about how their sound has developed over the years, from the time he found them via Craigslist to the present day. Of their 2013 release Metrics of Affection Phillips shares, “We definitely shifted to writing more personal songs…we just had more to sing about.” As of late, their music has taken a less fantastical tone and has taken on a mood Phillips refers to as “jaded” and “downtrodden.” Aside from the emotional maturation undergone by the band over the years, Bombadil’s music grew technically as well with a shift towards piano as a lead instrument as well as the addition of more pop textures, synthesizers, and vocal harmonies. Phillips emphasizes the band’s effort to “make [their] songs not boring” by being very critical of all aspects of their music.
Bombadil has been catering to the audience more so in their live shows, taking requests from their whole catalog in order to make their fans happy and challenge themselves as musicians and performers. Phillips’s favorite songs to play live include “Boring Country Song” because he can dance around on stage, “ and the recently released “Amy’s Friend” from their upcoming album.
While Bombadil have grown comfortable in their own performance style, they still have the occasional hiccup. One day on a previous tour Stuart Robinson had the flu while Phillips forgot his drum kit’s cymbals. During his first show with Bombadil, Phillips’s drum set was knocked over. This goes to show that even the valiant troubadours of Bombadil aren’t perfect. There’s hope for the rest of us.
Aside from new suits and ties from Etsy, we can expect a great deal of touring and a brand spankin’ new album from Bombadil in 2015. Even sooner than that, we can anticipate a transcendent show at the Charleston Music Hall next week. Come on out to have your soul rocked, and be sure to check out Bombadil’s new single “Amy’s Friend,” embedded above.
