Nathaniel Rateliff& The Night Sweats returns to town August 5 to the Palace Theatre. Acclaimed singer songwriter Israel Nash opens. Doors open 7pm. The show is sold out, but do keep an eye on the Palace’s social media feeds as there often are small ticket blocks that become available last minute.
Rateliff is that classic example of a “new” break out artist who has actually been on the road for 10 or 15 years honing his or her craft before finally receiving the notoriety deserved. In this case, a loyal fan base has been in place in Denver and other pockets going back to 2002. That respect and appreciation is well deserved. The band broke out in a big way in 2015 with songs like S.O.B., Look It Here and I Need Never Get Old.
Described primarily as an Americana artist The Night Sweats are a bit of everything they’ve ever heard and enjoyed from the time they were youngsters wandering the Missouri back roads. The past two full length releases, the eponymous titled 2015 effort and 2018’s Tearing At The Seams were both released by the legendary Stax label. Each met with immediate critical and popular success. For everything that the first album managed to do for the band’s popularity, the follow up not only matched but built upon that earlier success. Both albums spawned songs which crossed over into a wide range of radio format playlists. This is due in no small part to the 8-piece band’s penchant to mix folk,R&B, gospel, country and rock into that sweet Stax soul sound.
Where Seams breaks the mold a bit is that Rateliff altered his normal demo recording routine in which he would compose each part. Instead, he sequestered the band in rehearsal and recording studios in order to collaborate and bring all their influences more fully to the final product. The result is something which is a continuation of the sound developed on Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats but a bit more fully developed. It certainly has proved popular with the growing legions of Night Sweat fans. The debut single from the album You Worry Me skyrocketed to #1 on the Adult Alternative Charts.
Opening for Rateliff’s band is acclaimed Austin, Texas songwriter Israel Nash whose 5th full length was released July 27. NPR’s All Songs Considered listed Lifted as An Album You Should Hear Now: “these songs stretch out like a big view you can take in with your ears…the oral equivalent of an amazing view.”
