Energetic Finale by Sammy Rae & The Friends in Boston
It was a raucous affair at the Roadrunner in Boston, MA, as Sammy Rae & Friends celebrated the final stop of the Something For Everyone tour.
Power-pop trio Jukebox the Ghost opened to a rousing crowd, eager for the piano-based power pop. Formed in 2006, the band has toured with festivals such as Bonnaroo, released eight albums, and played over 1,000 shows in their career.
Opening with “Hold It In,” the trio from Washington D.C. started the dance party early with the high-energy track. A highlight of their set was “Jumpstarted.” A call-and-response of “Say it again!” juiced the crowd into a jumping frenzy. Thornewill and guitarist Tommy Siegel, fueled by keytar and guitar solos respectively, showcased their musical chops. The surprise of the night came when they decided to cover “Somebody to Love” by Queen (no small feat). Ben Thornewill’s vocal range was impressive, especially his fantastic falsetto, doing the immortal Freddie Mercury justice while conducting the crowd in its signature sing-along. It would be an understatement to say the crowd was warmed up.
Sammy Rae & The Friends are more family than friends. They are a band of seven rogues who strive to put a smile on the faces of everyone they encounter. From the opening of the heavy rock song “Thieves,” Sammy and the band showed the crowd that they only have one gear… turbo. Their sound cannot be pigeonholed into one category. They are the definition of a cross-genre with influences that include pop, R&B, soul, jazz, rock, funk, and disco. This is demonstrated with transitions from the pop tribute “Jackie Onassis” right into the disco dance track “Cool-Doug” at night.
Sammy’s name may be at the front of the band, but it is truly a family affair. A family that knows how to have fun and leave it all on stage. Whether it’s Sammy and Debbie Ping (keyboardist) dancing together to one of her solos, or James “J.Q” Quinlan (bass) and William Leet (guitarist) riffing off each other with beaming smiles on their faces, the bond is unmistakable. It is even more apparent that it’s a collaboration, as Sammy frequently steps aside to let her bandmates shine. The Friends’ musicality and tightness are in-your-face and quite impressive.
As far as the most dynamic lead singers in pop music, Sammy Rae must be on this list. From her first note, she never stopped. Running, jumping, dancing, and high-kicking across the stage, she endeared the crowd with her positivity and charm. She showed her performative mastery during the Latin-jazz track “The Good Life” and also showed she knew how to slow it down with “David,” a song about the importance of male vulnerability. In addition to her stage presence, Sammy has a vocal range and control that adapts to all of the aforementioned genres.
Sammy Rae and The Friends are one of those bands that will put a smile on your face. Their themes of friendship, connection, and fun resonate across a huge swath of music fans. This was their biggest tour to date. However, they have many friends to make along the way, and this is just the start.
Photo’s (c) Phillip Johnson
