By Stevie Connor.
The Los Angeles-based Dustbowl Revival are all about pushing the boundaries of American roots music. The group specialise in uplifting folk-rock ballads that often tilt into joyful soul songs, although lead singer and songwriter Z. Lupetin (who is also a playwright) has recently been taking them in new directions, mixing in elements of theatre and creating songs that are lushly orchestrated and cinematic in feel.
The current album by the band, ‘Is It You, Is It Me’, saw them expanding beyond their already genre-defying style to incorporate everything from folk to funk to New Orleans swing and so much in between. Infused with subtle pop sensibilities that enhanced their infectious sound, it gained plaudits from numerous UK print and online publications, plus airplay on several BBC radio stations.
The always evolving group led by founding members Lupetin (vocals/guitar), Josh Heffernan (drums/percussion) and Ulf Bjorlin (trombone) welcomed co-singer Lashon Halley and other new talents to the band in 2022 for a UK tour that included rapturously received sets at the Cambridge Folk Festival, plus the recording of an EP entitled ‘Set Me Free’. This line-up return for a short UK tour this week that includes festival appearances at UK Americana Week in London and Celtic Connections in Glasgow, followed by a week of dates in Germany and Scandinavia.
Having already spent years on the road, selling out hometown shows at LA’s famed Troubadour, headlining festivals and wowing crowds from Denmark to China, Dustbowl Revival have never stopped making the joyful, booty-shaking soul songs and cut-to-heart folk-rock ballads that light up their transcendent live shows.
Lupetin had originally sought like-minded musicians who shared his love of Louis Armstrong, Bob Wills, Old Crow Medicine Show, Paul Simon, Aretha Franklin and the brass bands of New Orleans, but also wanted to write songs like Americana pioneers Wilco, Lucinda Williams and even Bruce Springsteen.
TOUR DATES
24.01.24 LONDON Oslo @ 10.25pm (Americana Music Week) REGISTER
25.01.24 KENDAL Brewery Arts
26.01.24 GLASGOW Oran Mòr (Celtic Connections)
27.01.24 GLASGOW Glee Club
29.01.24 HAMBURG (DE) Nochtwache
30.01.24 MALMÖ (SE) Medley
31.01.24 ODENSE (DK) Dexter
01.02.24 SONDERBORG (DK) Sonderborghus
02.02.24 FREDERICIA (DK) Toejhuset
03.02.24 GRENAA (DK) Pavillonen
04.02.24 TØNDER (DK) Hagge’s
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