Nestled in beautiful Bucks County is the Sellersville Theater. It’s on a hill in this quiet, comfy main street town, and you can see and feel the generations of people who came to support their favorite bands and the stories to match. I loved seeing and hearing boomers and Gen X’rs fawn about the old days.
There’s one dude in front of me with his L’Amour T-shirt with his back to the stage, talking about the fun days with other cats. As he’s doing that, I’m observing the inner glow of the theatre and its picture-show feel. This feeling is a testament to an intimate bond with smaller venues, their fans, and the bands. It’s special.
The first up was Sound & Shape, a power trio from Tennessee. These three are the epitome of perfection of shaping musical textures, like new ways of light and shade, in a modern way that nods to Mastodon, Baroness, and a little Helmet. I will absolutely see them again someday, and you should too.
What I love about Rock music is its dedication to bands, and also the history with the members of King’s X. Drummer Jerry Gaskill was the first to enter the stage, and the audience yelled Jerry! Jerry! Jerry! Then Ty Tabor, with his guitar genius, and lastly our genius leader, epic vocalist, and bass god Doug Pinnuck. Like the way we always love seeing musical poets, Poof! Like magic, King’s X! The iconic and legendary power was here, and we’re all in for it! They played for two hours of musical perfection.
First was “Welcome To The Groove Machine” – the perfect way to bring us into their musical sanctum. Dug’s iconic bass playing and singing are the blueprint of how it’s supposed to be done. His voice is so beautiful as it flows over his own incredible bass playing style and Ty’s atmospheric chordal choices, which are not just power chords. Jerry’s drumming was where I wanted to be. So in the pocket, funky and edgy, like I dig.
“Cigarettes” and “Pillow” are my personal favorites. At one point, Doug turned the mic around and over to the crowd to sing, and they beautifully reciprocated the love, singing lyrics back to them.
This is what it’s all about. The bond between bands and their fans! I love this band and I will be seeing them again, and again.
Setlist (via setlist.fm)
Groove Machine
The World Around Me
Pillow
Cigarettes
Fade
All God’s Children
Alright
Nothing but the Truth
Summerland
Black Like Sunday
Let It Rain
Festival
In the New Age
We Were Born to Be Loved
Encore:
It’s Love
Dogman
Goldilox
Buy King’s X music and merch here:
https://amzn.to/4qhLZhI
WORDS AND PHOTOS BY N.E. SIXTEEN