Garage roots, big-room grit

This Los Angeles trio built its name on raw blues-rock cut in small rooms and driven by slide guitar and harmonica. They favor a simple setup and big grooves, with vocals that ride the beat like a second rhythm part. Early on, they recorded in a living room with minimal mics, and many first takes stayed on the records. Chris Vos often brings a homemade lap steel and a stomp board, adding a gritty thump under the slide. Their debut Give It Back To You earned a Grammy nod, which raised their profile without changing their DIY core.

What you might hear

Expect a set built on Off the Ground, Life to Fix, Rita Mae Young, and On The Move, with extended intros and a mid-set harmonica workout. The crowd skews mixed: rock radio lifers, younger vinyl diggers, and working musicians who lock in on the pocket, all moving more than posting. To be clear, I am inferring setlist and production touches from past shows, not citing a fixed plan for this date.

The scene, worn-in and welcoming: The Record Company

Denim, patches, and pocket grooves

You will see denim jackets with enamel pins, lived-in boots, and band tees with tape reels or radio mics that nod to the group's analog lean. Many carry vinyl to get signed and talk about pressings between sets, while others compare slide guitar tricks by the bar. During big choruses like Life to Fix, the room claps on two and four, and harmonica breaks draw a cheer that sounds like a train starting up. Merch trends lean toward ringer tees and workwear caps, and the poster art often riffs on reel-to-reel imagery.

Rituals in the room

People tend to give space at the front for dancing, then tighten up for the final run when the drums get busier. The pre-show playlist usually leans early electric blues and roots-soul, which sets an easy, head-nod pace before the lights drop. Post-show, the talk is gear and grooves more than spectacle, and the smiles read like folks who found the beat they came for.

How they make it hit: The Record Company

Slide, stomp, and space

The vocals sit rough but tuneful, pushed by unison hits from guitar and drums that make choruses feel heavier without extra volume. The guitar tone leans bright for slide parts, then warms up for verses, while the bass holds steady eighth notes to keep the engine humming. Tempos ride mid-fast, but they stretch breaks to let a riff breathe, which draws bigger claps on the return. The group often retunes to open G or open D for slide numbers, a simple move that gives chords a wider ring. On songs like Off the Ground, they sometimes strip the bridge down to just kick, claps, and vocal before dropping the riff back in. The harmonica uses a bullet-style mic for a rattly edge, and the drummer works the floor tom like a second kick to fill space.

Little tweaks that matter

Lighting tends toward warm ambers and cool blues that frame the band without pulling focus from the groove.

Kindred grooves and shared rooms: The Record Company

Blues grit, radio hooks

Fans of The Black Keys will hear the same stripped, riff-first stomp and drums-forward swing. Gary Clark Jr. attracts listeners who like searing guitar breaks that still leave space for a song to breathe, a balance this band hits often. If you chase big-chorus soul with bar-band punch, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats sits in the same lane of grit with melody. Roots-rock fans who want blues color without solo overload tend to split time with JJ Grey & Mofro.

Fans crossing lanes

All four acts build nights on groove, small details, and crowd call-and-response rather than elaborate theatrics. They also tour rooms where the mix is upfront and the drums feel close, which fits this trio's no-frills style. So if you rotate these artists on a road playlist, this show likely lands right in pocket.