On a balmy Thursday evening, fans of garage-pop gathered on the rooftop of Nashville’s Bobby Hotel to see Broncho, the Oklahoma-based powerhouses. The band was fresh off the high of their latest release, Natural Pleasure, which came out in April of this year. They embarked on the Natural Pleasure Tour in June. Nashville was one of the last stops on their journey. The show was made possible by WNXP, Nashville’s NPR Music station. The station is responsible for discovering music from Nashville and beyond. Wilby, the Nashville-based band that opened the show, set the perfect vibe for the night. The audience was already on its feet after Wilby’s energetic set. The transition into Broncho’s set was seamless, with the audience ready for the main act. The band opened with “Imagination,” the first track and lead single off of Natural Pleasure. The crowd swayed with every note that rang from frontman Ryan Lindsey’s guitar. Bassist Penny Pitchlynn delivered a smooth, bouncing low end that had the crowd grooving to each track.
For the first half of their set, the band treated the crowd to the entirety of Natural Pleasure. The audience loved it. Natural Pleasure saw a notable change in Broncho’s sound. They traded gritty punk and sugary pop hooks for a chill, raw sound. But make no mistake, the root of their sound is still quintessential Broncho. Lindsey’s vocals are still coy, slurred, and almost lazy. Nathan Price’s drums kept the hearts of the songs and the audience, pumping. During the second half of their set, Broncho showcased what they are most well-known for: an energetic, urgent, no-nonsense sound. The band played favorites such as “Sandman,” “Class Historian,” and “Try Me Out Sometime.” The crowd moved as one, caught up in the collective momentum of the sound. Each riff landed perfectly. Ben King’s magic on the guitar made every moment memorable. As the band finished their final song, the crowd was cheering for more. The night was one to remember.
- Emily Duncko
Photos Courtesy of Emily Duncko (For Bell Music Magazine)
