When Atlanta’s Concord America formed in the summer of 2011, Ben Presley (vocals, lead guitar), Vinny Restivo (bass guitar), and John Restivo (drums) couldn’t have fathomed that their punk/garage style would evolve to make itself relevant to every genre of music. Drawing inspiration from obvious grunge trailblazers like the Pixies, ConAm – as they are lovingly referred to by their creative, enthusiastic, and growing group of fans – writes songs that also appeal to an indie crowd obsessed with the Arctic Monkeys and Cage the Elephant. And sometimes, if you listen very closely, you’ll hear a tune that seems to hark back to the 1960s or beyond to the jazz age.
But attend just one Concord America show and you’ll quickly understand that this isn’t just music: it’s a lifestyle. While you’re undoubtedly moving your entire body to John’s energetic drums, you’ll likely find Ben emerging, screaming, from a cloud of glitter, body paint, and floral fabric while Vinny invites you to clap along. Perhaps you’ll be told to get on stage and dance, or be handed a Guitar Hero guitar to play along, or even find yourself supporting one of the band members as he jumps into the crowd. You’ll feel like you’ve known the talented trio your whole life at a ConAm show, like you’ve just come home. The only difference? This home involves a lot more dancing than the one you’re used to. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.