We Went There: Rosali + David Nance & Mowed Sound at 7th St Entry
Nostalgia is a dangerous drug. We’ve seen the dark undercurrent of looking backwards, mining the “better days” in our current political morass, but music is one of those places where nostalgia can be used for good. Tuesday night at the 7th St Entry saw a masterclass in building off the templates of the past towards something even better when Rosali rolled into town with support from David Nance & the Mowed Sound.
It was a night of classic country-rock vibes, ranging from Neil Young scorchers to the kind of breezy vibes that conjure up AM radio through a front porch window. Opening up was David Nance, a longtime favorite who has gone from more frantic, almost punk, rock to his current stance of burnt soul, duel guitar rock and roll. The guitars were dialed up, the drums and bass were a locomotive that felt like it could jump the track at any moment, and songwriting was smart but sentimental. I last saw Nance in 2018 at the Eagles Club, ripping through songs like “Negative Boogie” in a way that felt like a hammer crushing down. Tuesdays set felt like a band still crackling with that same energy, but with the wisdom of age.
Nance and company didn’t get to kick back with the pretty full Entry crowd after their set, though, as everyone but the Mowed Sound bass played rambled on stage as Rosali’s backing band (Nance took over bass duties in the backing band). Like Nance’s set, but even more stark, Rosali showcased the breadth of country rock. As anyone knows who has heard her (really great) string of recent records, culminating with this year’s Bite Down, she covers the terrain from Lucinda to country fried stones to Laurel Canyon. Her charm beams through even stronger live, with her smirk showcasing her wistful yet yearning lyrics and vocals.
Both bands took a genre that could easily be described as spent and showcased why you should never underestimate talented songwriters. While both of their albums already had a chance to crack my year end list, they both received a boost after seeing these songs brought to such exciting life on stage.
Writer / co-founder
