The Cold Stares don't come to Texas very often, and they had never played in Dallas before, so I knew I had to jump at the chance to see them at Trees. Founded in Evansville, Indiana by guitarist/vocalist Chris Tapp and drummer Brian Mullins, the Cold Stares have created a unique hard-edged and bluesy rock sound that's fueled by raw emotion and creative storytelling. I couldn't wait to hear how their songs sounded live.

The set was a nice mix of new material from their upcoming album Voices and some older favorites like "Hard Times", "Head Bent", and "Two Keys and a Good Book". The audience went craziest when they launched into "Mojo Hand", which has had over ten million streams on YouTube after being featured in the trailer for the video game Cyberpunk 2077. "Heavy Shoes" showcased the band's hard rock side while "Ways" had more of a cool groove. The jam during "I Was a Fool" kicked our asses, but it was the heavy-as-hell version of "Neighbor Blues" that stole the show and left me wanting more.

After the show, the band spent time talking to fans, taking pictures, signing autographs, and letting everyone know how much they appreciated us coming out on a Sunday night. The future is bright for these laid back and humble blues-rockers from the Midwest. I hope they come back to Texas soon!