{"id":119974,"date":"2022-06-27T11:00:09","date_gmt":"2022-06-27T15:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dcmusicreview.com\/staging\/?p=119974"},"modified":"2022-06-27T13:58:02","modified_gmt":"2022-06-27T17:58:02","slug":"howlin-rain-howls-with-wolves-at-wolf-trap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dcmusicreview.com\/staging\/howlin-rain-howls-with-wolves-at-wolf-trap\/","title":{"rendered":"Howlin Rain Howls With The Wolves At Wolf Trap"},"content":{"rendered":"

When <\/span>The Black Crowes<\/span><\/strong> came to <\/span>Wolf Trap<\/span><\/strong> on June 23rd, 2022, they brought with them West Coast-based <\/span>Howlin Rain<\/span><\/strong>. The Black Crowes may have started their performance with “Twice As Hard,” but Howlin Rain was certainly working twice as hard to earn new fans and introduce themselves to bigger East Coast audiences.  <\/span><\/p>\n

\"Howlin'<\/span><\/p>\n

Howlin Rain was founded in 2004 in Oakland, California, by frontman <\/span>Ethan Miller<\/span><\/strong>, this band has become one of the quintessential independent rock and roll bands in America.  Bands are simply not built like this anymore – guitar-forward, hard-charging full-on rock & roll thunder. Howlin Rain is composed of Ethan Miller (vocals, guitar), <\/span>Kyre Wilcox<\/span><\/strong> (bass, backing vocals), <\/span>Justin Smith<\/span><\/strong> (drums, backing vocals), and <\/span>Jason Soda<\/span><\/strong> (guitar, backing vocals). Their sound owes a deep credit to the influences of the powerful blues-rock of West Coast 1970s rock and also draws from a rich musical lineage going back several generations of rock and roll. They share a sound space similar to The Black Crowes and <\/span>The Rolling Stones<\/span><\/strong>. Just as a flower’s nectar attracts a bee, the sound and style of Howlin Rain have attracted notable collaborators who were drawn to the band’s sound. Collaborators have included <\/span>Adam MacDougall<\/span><\/strong> (<\/span>Chris Robinson Brotherhood,<\/span><\/strong> <\/span>Circles Around the Sun<\/span><\/strong>), legendary violinist <\/span>Scarlet Rivera<\/span><\/strong> (<\/span>Bob Dylan’s<\/span><\/strong> Rolling Thunder Review), and <\/span>Chris Robinson<\/span><\/strong> (The Black Crowes).<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Howlin'<\/span>\"Jason<\/span><\/p>\n

Jason Soda (Guitar) and Kyre Wilcox (Bass)<\/p>\n

Throughout their career, Howlin Rain has crisscrossed the United States performing upon countless stages, crafting their mass-moving funk stomp with stellar band interactions and jams. During their travels, Howlin Rain has ventured beyond our native shores and has spent more than one occasion journeying across the Atlantic Ocean to perform on stages across Europe. All these experiences have prepared this band to take the next step and step into the limelight of larger stages, and they were ready when The Black Crowes asked them to open three performances on their “Shake Your Money Maker” 2022 Tour.<\/span><\/p>\n

Within the first minutes of Howlin Rain’s performance at Wolf Trap, there was little doubt as to why the Crowes asked them to open for them. The quartet appeared on stage and plugged in, ready to give the audience thirty minutes of pure musical muscle. But, of course, with their vintage sound, one had to take notice and check to see if there were matching period curly guitar chords dangling from their guitar jacks – we checked, and we were a little surprised that no curly chords were found swaying in the wind.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Jason<\/span><\/p>\n

Jason Soda (Guitar) and Kyre Wilcox (Bass)<\/p>\n

\"Ethan<\/span><\/p>\n

Ethan Miller acknowledging the crowd<\/p>\n

The band played a ferocious performance that lasted a scant thirty minutes with little pause or respite except for moments when they acknowledged and expressed gratitude to the growing audience.  <\/span>The band was clearly enjoying themselves and delighted in the size of Wolf Trap’s stage and performing in front of such a large crowd. Bassist Kyre Wilcox, in particular, thoroughly enjoyed playing to the crowd. As Ethan Miller snarled out lyrics, Krye swaggered from end to end of the stage, collaborating with his bandmates, letting his hair flip with reckless abandon, and capturing the crowd’s attention.  <\/span><\/p>\n

\"Ethan<\/span><\/p>\n

Ethan Miller acknowledging the crowd<\/p>\n

\"Jason<\/span><\/p>\n

Jason Soda (Guitar) and Justin Smith (Drums)<\/p>\n

We watched as Wolf Trap patrons packed their picnics bags early so they could enter the pavilion to see Howlin Rain’s perform. This band did not require a special light show for their performance – they just needed electricity for their instruments and were prepared to play their hearts out to set the stage for The Black Crowes and fans throughout the venue.  <\/span><\/p>\n

Their performance embodied relentless and hard-driving rock and roll, complete with peaking guitar solos, hair flips, dynamic band interactions, and heart-stomping rhythms.   <\/p>\n

\"Jason<\/span><\/p>\n

Jason Soda (Guitar) and Justin Smith (Drums)<\/p>\n

As powerful as the music was, we listened intently to the complex lyrics sung to us. Howlin Rain’s music is as articulate and complex as its sound is powerful.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Lyricist<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn the evening the trains go by, and shake the dust from dirty walls, sometimes I feel like a spider in an old mason jar, who threatens only convex light from down the hall. I\u2019ve been lost to the world since the photos of the black hole, landed on my desktop screaming, perhaps the all and nothing all-in-one is just too much to take, for particles and matter that never found their way.\u201d<\/p>\n

“Annabelle” <\/span><\/strong> from T<\/em>he Dharma Wheel <\/em>(2021)<\/p>\n

And in a blink of an eye, their performance was over – thirty minutes of hard-rocking musical bliss. With music as robust and energetic as Howlin Rain’s, it left us wanting more and knowing that the band could have easily delivered more. Although Rock & Roll is known for breaking many rules, keeping to schedules and curfews is something not to be disregarded. By the applause throughout Wolf Trap, we know that Howlin Rain made many new fans who eagerly await their return to the region. We hope you, like us, keep Howlin Rain on your radar and keep an eye open for their eventual return to the DMV.<\/p>\n

\"Lyricist<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn the evening the trains go by, and shake the dust from dirty walls, sometimes I feel like a spider in an old mason jar, who threatens only convex light from down the hall. I\u2019ve been lost to the world since the photos of the black hole, landed on my desktop screaming, perhaps the all and nothing all-in-one is just too much to take, for particles and matter that never found their way.\u201d<\/p>\n

“Annabelle” <\/span><\/strong> from T<\/em>he Dharma Wheel <\/em>(2021)<\/p>\n

Photo Gallery<\/strong><\/p>\n

Photo Gallery<\/strong><\/p>\n

Photo Gallery<\/strong><\/p>\n

Enjoy photos by our photographer Jason Herman<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\nngg_shortcode_0_placeholder\n

Listen<\/strong><\/p>\n

Listen<\/strong><\/p>\n

Listen<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Additional Resources<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Additional Resources<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Additional<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Resources<\/strong><\/h3>\n

To learn more about Howlin Rain<\/strong>, please see the following web resources:<\/p>\n