thomas wynn and the belivers live review 2014

Thomas Wynn & The Believers Screamed At Me for Almost 2 Hours | Live Review | The Social Orlando | July 19 2014

by Dainon Moody • July 21, 2014

Perhaps it ought to be in that pile of obvious statements, but let’s make things perfectly clear: I believe in Thomas Wynn & The Believers. Cross my heart and hope to die.

In fact, I believe in them so much I supported their Kickstarter from eons ago before ever having seen them live. From their videos and songs and story, I was proud to empty out my wallet and help them on their way towards creating a new album. It just took me a bit to get around to witnessing all they could do live (which, spoiler alert, was a lot); last weekend was my initiation to their brand of Southern rawk, it’s true, but it’s not the last time I’ll ever plant myself in front of the band.

With the hometown advantage in their favor (they’re Florida sorts, after all), the show seemed more like an expanded house show than a Saturday at The Social. All on stage got lost in their respective elements – closed eyes and harmonica solos and crazy keyboard noodling. Whatever they had to lean into (whether it was a tambourine, a microphone or exposed tattooed knee), they leaned into … and hard.

I think, if I were to guess, that’s why they attract such a diverse crowd, too: you don’t leave their show second-guessing their convictions. The twin vocal of the two leads is like listening to the much folksier Civil Wars … if that band suddenly sprouted some visible muscles in their voices. Hearing them sing and play makes you easily yearn for a time when singers and bands displayed talent more than they did contrived appearance … which, again, is probably why those in the crowd sometimes look like moms and dads and grandpas and grandpas, all united and joined at their hips in the name of great music.

There aren’t enough song titles in this head to drop more than one for your consumption. I will say that hearing “I Don’t Regret” a few feet from the stage painted a deliriously huge buffoon-like grin on my face. That song alone made me happy to have trekked out that night. And, from the looks of things, many others felt the same way. Just ask those scream-singing along from their spot of borrowed floor.

Let’s end with some things you ought not to be surprised by, shall we? If you’re a Floridian, you owe it to yourself to see this band at some point. Do it for The Sunshine State. They sound like a time when The Band gave us “The Weight” and Lynyrd Skynyrd was still free as a damn bird.

They make one proud to live in the midst of Spanish moss dripping from tree branches and gators sun themselves by the springs. They give a voice to these parts that we may not deserve, but we get to call our own anyway. And that’s enough to see them once, twice, thrice … as much as we’re good and able to.

You can find a list of their upcoming tour dates on the Thomas Wynn & The Believers facebook.