Familiar Looking Strangers

FACT: The final time slot of the evening at most club venues – in this case, midnight – is oh so rarely ideal or any band’s choice. But so goes the road that every young or new band that is not a super group or made up of rock star progeny has to travel. Case in point: Familiar Looking Strangers at Hotel Cafe, a venue designed to cradle the intimacy evoked by the singer/songwriter genre but just as often welcomes noisier, more full-bodied fare like five blokes from Liverpool, England (one of whom is actually a Spaniard) who sound more like they hail from somewhere in Midwest USA.

Familiar Looking Strangers
© Trina Green, 2014
Across the pond, Brits have long held a reverence for good, old-fashioned American blues, soul and rootsy rock music. Familiar Looking Strangers: Vinny McPoland (vox), Paul Baker (guitar), Carlos Lopez (guitar), Jon Goldby (bass) and Ben Gorry (drums) are keeping that tradition alive and well. At 11:58pm when the first guitars chords rang (starting their set two minutes early did not go unnoticed, thank you) the Hotel Cafe crowd was painfully small. It was a Thursday night in Los Angeles, indeed. Among those in the room were a few familiar faces, people that the band had only met the night before somewhere in LA. They have an endearing quality that can touch upon a number of facets appealing to the musical ear: fiery guitars, earthy rhythms and lyrical directness buoyed by the warm and soulfully potent voice of McPoland. Even late at night, Liverpool action with those qualities is never a bad thing. This was the third night of a three-month tour, their first major trek through the United States. If they keep this up, the sound of them, as well as word of mouth, should serve them well as the tour progresses.

The song “Saturday Night,” with its dark tale-telling of urban decay and a backbone of Detroit soul and wah wah pedal, is the most popular gauge of what these gents offer. But it’s not the only gauge of what they’re capable of. “Anytime You Like” is particularly shiny, hip shaking and uplifted by some healthy tambourine. “Is It Gonna Bleed” treads and stomps through pleading for romantic mercy in the vein of the Temptations… if the Temptations moonlighted as the Allman Brothers. What’s particularly charming about this outfit is their air of everyman-ness, playing to a room of 20 as earnestly as if playing to a room of 200. And in typical foreign fashion, McPoland’s English/Liverpool tongue was so thick that the struggle to understand his in-between song commentary was comedic, yet his singing elocution was perfectly neutral.

So a good show from Familiar Looking Strangers? More like a damned good show and one that you suspect will only get better with time and with larger crowds on hand to witness them. The fact that a Hotel Cafe bartender – someone who sees and hears music on a nightly basis to a point where it’s often just background noise – made it her business to tell the band how much she enjoyed them once their set was done spoke volumes. All that was missing was a song of lower tempo, almost swoon-worthy fare, a vehicle where McPoland could display what command and control he has of his range and flexibility. You want that from voices like his. It would also give the band the chance to be more musically emotional. Here’s hoping such a gem finds its way into their set by the end of this tour. - High Voltage Magazine - Los Angeles, CA

Milwaukee, Riverside Review
Alan Semrow

Last night, I had the wonderful opportunity to see Sheryl at the Riverside Theater in Milwaukee. It’s a gorgeous, relatively intimate venue and I think it was really fitting atmosphere for her tunes. The acoustics were heavenly and I had a total blast.

The opening act was a band called The Familiar Looking Strangers. Usually, I just opening acts the thing that’s keeping me from viewing what I paid to see. This time, that wasn’t so much the case. The UK band stunned me. They’re weren’t quite country, but, like Sheryl, were a little bit of everything. In fact, they’re style really reminded me of the tone on Sheryl’s eponymous album and The Globe Sessions. Lots of organ, lots of guitar, lots of soul. Very, very cool. I wouldn’t be surprised if these gentlemen broke through in the US. They were just that good. And the lead singer really made me chuckle because of his heavy, heavy accent. I couldn’t understand a word he was saying when he spoke to us, but, when he sang, I felt at home.

Then Sheryl came out. It’s always an incredibly surreal thing for me when she enters the stage. I’ve been following her for years and years and years now and know the lyrics to even the B-sides. Her music’s been there for me during the good times and the bad times (no pun intended: “The Best of Times). So she entered like her down-to-earth self and started playing “Steve McQueen.” Her vocals were impeccable and I also wanted to note that she doesn’t use the vocal distortion anymore for the part where she sings, “We got rockstars in the white house and all our popstars look like porn…” For a while, they actually just played the album snippet of that part and then she mouthed along. Not the case now, though, which made it much more raw.

Did I mention that her vocals were impeccable? I mean, maybe this is just beating a dead horse now, but they were really, really great last night. Sometimes, you can tell that she’s a little tired. Well, that wasn’t the case last night.

Also, I need to go on a quick rant right now. I had one problem with the concert and it has nothing to do with Sheryl, the band, or the venue. It has to do with the audience. Now, I’m 22 years old, so when I go to a Sheryl concert, me and whoever I’ve gotten to come with me are always the youngest people in the room. I’m fine with that, but I’m not fine with the fact that the entire audience sits for almost the entire show. Everyone stood when she came out and played the opening chords to “Steve McQueen.” By the second verse, though, they were all seated. I was on the first floor in the venue and fairly close, which means there were plenty of people behind me. They didn’t so much like it when I stood for “My Favorite Mistake,” “Soak Up the Sun,” and “Can’t Cry Anymore.” In fact, when I stood for “Strong Enough,” several people behind me yelled and told me to sit down. All I have to say to that is: what the fuck? I mean, seriously, Sheryl Crow is someone who has really made a name in this industry. She’s incredibly popular and is not just some up-and-comer. I think it’s pretty disrespectful that people do not stand and dance along. It’s not like this is some folky, slow concert. Her tunes are uptempo and rockin.’ It's a frickin' rock concert! So I don’t understand why people sit. And this isn’t the first time this has happened. Afterwards, my friend actually told me, “I’ve never experienced that when everyone sits for an entire rock concert.” Frankly, it pisses me off and, frankly, I wish I would have given those audience members who told me to sit down the middle finger, because I don’t see it as me being disrespectful by standing. I see it as disrespectful by not standing and singing and dancing along.

End rant. - SherylCrowNews.com

Familiar Looking Strangers perform live and discuss their band and upcoming tour dates. - WTMJ TV 4 Milwaukee

Familiar Looking Strangers perform live and discuss their band and upcoming tour dates. - WTMJ TV 4 Milwaukee

The band Familiar Looking Strangers join Real Milwaukee to talk about the new Fall Tuesday free concert series on the Summerfest grounds. Click the video above to for details and a performance. - WITI FOX 6 MILWAUKEE

The band Familiar Looking Strangers join Real Milwaukee to talk about the new Fall Tuesday free concert series on the Summerfest grounds. Click the video above to for details and a performance. - WITI FOX 6 MILWAUKEE

The band Familiar Looking Strangers comes to Real Milwaukee from Liverpool just a day before their performance in Cedarburg. - WITI FOX 6 MILWAUKEE

The band Familiar Looking Strangers comes to Real Milwaukee from Liverpool just a day before their performance in Cedarburg. - WITI FOX 6 MILWAUKEE

Because Familiar Looking Strangers has such a strong reputation, we have regularly booked the band to headline our “Come Together” nights as a way to bring a great deal of credibility to our label. They headlined a number of our main events in Liverpool and were absolutely fantastic. They are one of the most talented bands in the city and provided a shining example to our other acts on how to be professional and how to piece together a set that fits the venue and the crowd who came to watch. The venue has repeatedly asked us to book the band again, due to the sheer size of the crowd that turns up to these nights when they perform. Everybody goes away talking about how they have just witnessed a truly great band.
Familiar Looking Strangers is ready to make its mark on the American music scene, and working with K-Nation in the USA will give them a once in a lifetime opportunity to showcase their talents with the support and backing of an industry leader. We are very proud to have been associated with them and wish them all the very best for this opportunity.
Sincerely,

Matthew Keenan – CWRecords.
- Matthew Keenan – CWRecords.

Because Familiar Looking Strangers has such a strong reputation, we have regularly booked the band to headline our “Come Together” nights as a way to bring a great deal of credibility to our label. They headlined a number of our main events in Liverpool and were absolutely fantastic. They are one of the most talented bands in the city and provided a shining example to our other acts on how to be professional and how to piece together a set that fits the venue and the crowd who came to watch. The venue has repeatedly asked us to book the band again, due to the sheer size of the crowd that turns up to these nights when they perform. Everybody goes away talking about how they have just witnessed a truly great band.
Familiar Looking Strangers is ready to make its mark on the American music scene, and working with K-Nation in the USA will give them a once in a lifetime opportunity to showcase their talents with the support and backing of an industry leader. We are very proud to have been associated with them and wish them all the very best for this opportunity.
Sincerely,

Matthew Keenan – CWRecords.
- Matthew Keenan – CWRecords.

In my 30+ year radio career I was involved in discovering and aiding in the development of hit records from both established and up-and-coming artists. I was involved with projects including Martin Page, Cardigans, Bon Jovi, Hootie & the Blowfish, No Doubt, and many more.
Familiar Looking Strangers impressive background has positioned them to create influential music for years to come. Familiar Looking Strangers possess equal parts songwriting talent and explosive live performance skill. Their existing original written material is strong and the songwriting team generates new high quality material with great consistency. Their skill and musicality are a rare find.
Familiar Looking Strangers is a band that could take the U.S music scene by storm. Coming to the United States to work with K-Nation will give them that opportunity. I know the American rock audience is ready for them.
-Danny Clayton, Radio personality, 94.5 Lake FM in Milwaukee, Wisconsin - Danny Clayton, On-Air Personality 94.5 LakeFM in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

In my 30+ year radio career I was involved in discovering and aiding in the development of hit records from both established and up-and-coming artists. I was involved with projects including Martin Page, Cardigans, Bon Jovi, Hootie & the Blowfish, No Doubt, and many more.
Familiar Looking Strangers impressive background has positioned them to create influential music for years to come. Familiar Looking Strangers possess equal parts songwriting talent and explosive live performance skill. Their existing original written material is strong and the songwriting team generates new high quality material with great consistency. Their skill and musicality are a rare find.
Familiar Looking Strangers is a band that could take the U.S music scene by storm. Coming to the United States to work with K-Nation will give them that opportunity. I know the American rock audience is ready for them.
-Danny Clayton, Radio personality, 94.5 Lake FM in Milwaukee, Wisconsin - Danny Clayton, On-Air Personality 94.5 LakeFM in Milwaukee, Wisconsin