Gutter Sinatra and “Stephen Kellogg & The Homecoming” brought an extraordinary sound, high energy and a lighthearted atmosphere to HI-FI Indy this past Tuesday.
Gutter Sinatra, the opening act, consisted of lead singer Don Miggs, guitarist Constance Day, drummer Jordi Radnoti, and bassist Nick Diiorio. From original songs such as, “I kind of want to call you” to bits of Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2,” the band was dynamic and enthusiastic, keeping the audience engaged throughout their set.
“When you’re the opening band, it’s humbling because people are not there to see you,” Miggs said. “You know some are, but your job is to surprise them, and so I take that challenge seriously and willingly. I want to surprise people who want to be surprised.”
Miggs did just that by creating a lively set. He went back and forth from keyboard to acoustic guitar, jumped around stage, and interacted with fans by throwing guitar picks and recording on an audience member’s phone who had handed it to him. This added to the personal feel of the show as well as the honesty and raw emotion of the band’s music. For example, the song “Mechanical Romance” stood out to me with its hauntingly sincere lyrics and powerful vocals. The set was well balanced with songs of a despondent nature and more upbeat tunes like “Pull me under.” The songs had range, proving that Sinatra does too.
“There is nothing better than sitting here one minute and the next minute, there are words, melodies and music that just somehow found their way into me,” Miggs said. “You look around like, wow, how did that happen? That was great!”
Sinatra’s performance reflected the band’s talent and passion for music. From Day shredding guitar on her knees to Radnoti banging the drums as if there was no tomorrow, they were having fun and ensuring that everyone in the venue was as well. Miggs was a true professional with his comfortability on stage while delivering a truly compelling performance, reflective of his mindset.
“Being great at something is like being a gardener. You spend hours and hours in the garden, and most of the time you’re pulling weeds, but if you stay in the garden long enough, you start to pick more flowers because you start to get the weeds out of the way. And that’s what performing is like,” Miggs said. “I’m a big believer in bringing it all on.”
“Stephen Kellogg & The Homecoming” carried themselves similarly to Gutter Sinatra, with positive attitudes and a genuine love for music shining through their performance. The band leaned into more of a country sound, incorporating a tambourine that elevated their songs more than I could have imagined. They also utilized layered vocals with Kellogg’s smoky voice being complimented by soft, smooth harmonies.
Kellogg did not only crush it music wise, but he kept his audience engaged with funny jokes and anecdotes. He joked about some of the struggles of fatherhood before playing one of his more popular songs “Songs for Daughters.” The heartwarming lyrics sounded beautiful live as Kellogg delivered them with pure emotion and the best of intentions.
He also informed the audience of a project he is running throughout the tour where he encourages everyone to write on postcards to someone who they feel needs to hear it. This project is inspired by a person in one of the songs he performed, “The Waitress.” This song came alive during his performance with the nostalgic lyrics, captivating the audience.
Both bands displayed extreme talent and great energy that made for an enjoyable experience. Nothing was taken too seriously, and yet every word and instrument helped transport me to a place that I did not want to leave.
