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If you go* What: Sons of Bill* When: 9:30 p.m. tonight* Where: TVFCU Stage* Admission: Riverbend 9-day wristband ($55); one-day wristband ($25)
One of the best things about Riverbend is that it’s a place to see music in all lights, from the over-the-top, audiovisual smorgasbord of country’s biggest stars to the subdued confidence of a singer/songwriter.
Sons of Bill, a alt-country/roots rock ensemble from Charlottesville, Va., eschews spectacle in favor of presenting meaty, grounded songs that deserve to be listened to actively rather than enjoyed passively. Think of them like Jason Isbell or the Drive-By Truckers or – better yet – what “Nebraska” could have sounded like if the E Street Band featured a pedal steel guitar and Bruce Springsteen had written about less-depressing topics.
There are a lot of fans of both the Truckers and Isbell in the Scenic City, and Sons of Bill can hang on solidly with either group. They’ve got the same organ sheen, the same pained vocal twang, the same brand of songwriting that shouts for your attention. In a four-star (out of five) review, U.K.’s The Guardian called the band’s most recent record, 2014’s “Love and Logic,” a “delightful surprise enough to make lovers of Americana-tinged rock purr.”
Today is a tough day to recommend a single artist for, however, since the lineup also includes heavy hitters such as rock legends Gregg Allman and Molly Hatchet. Pegging Sons of Bill is in no way a strike against those artists, but they both are more well-known, and theirs fans probably are going to see them regardless.
But if you’re looking for something a little off the beaten path – literally – take a stroll under the bridge tonight, grab a seat and prepare to love them. If you need further swaying, check out “Arms of the Landslide” and let the band convince you all on their own.
Contact Casey Phillips at cphillips@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6205. Follow his Riverbend coverage on Twitter at @PhillipsCTFP.