Alton Northup
Staff writer
The Revivalists are hoping to pour it all out into the band’s performance at 7:30 p.m. tonight in the Amphitheater.
“It’s kind of one of the things that we do best as a band,” said Zack Feinberg, guitarist for the chart-topping group. “It’s very high-energy, it’s exciting, it’s stimulating to be in these fun, cool places.”
On the heels of releasing its fifth studio album, Pour It Out Into The Night, the eight-piece rock group is on an extensive North America tour. The album is the band’s first release since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, which gave the members much to reflect on while writing and recording Pour It Out Into The Night.
“It’s the culmination of years of songwriting, and personal experiences and growth,” Feinberg said.
He described the album as being “very honest” about those experiences. He and vocalist David Shaw wrote the lead single, “Kid,” during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, while Feinberg’s now-fiancé was one month pregnant with twins. An anthem of hope amid chaos, the song’s chorus reminds listeners to “just sing the songs that wake the dead” and “don’t worry about the mess” while “living for the spirit.”
Though the band is based out of New Orleans, Feinberg is not quick to label the group with the Big Easy sound – but the city certainly leaves an impact on its music. The band wrote the song “Good Old Days” with a message of gratitude after spending an “incredible carnivalesque” Mardis Gras together in 2018.
“New Orleans is such an incredibly expressive musical town,” he said. “The talent is amazing and ridiculous in this city of working musicians, but then there’s also this culture of music that’s part of the place, and it has been for a long time.”
Despite being a rock band, The Revivalists’ wide range reflects the storied ensembles of New Orleans – with eight members, its performances feature a horn section, pedal steel guitar, drummers and an “absolute monster” lead singer in Shaw.
Seattle-based Band of Horses will join a large stretch of the group’s tour, including tonight in Chautauqua. Rolling Stone has described the group as a “blend of spooky Southern rock and shoegazer indie pop.”
The band has long captured generational anxiety in its music, which culminated in a Grammy nomination in 2011 for the album Infinite Arms.
“We’re super honored to be sharing the stage with them,” Feinberg said. “They’re a fantastic band that we’ve been fond of for many, many years.”
Being on a stage is not something he takes for granted since the pandemic, he said. The band had to cancel or postpone several tour dates after the release of its last album, Made In Muscle Shoals, in January 2020.
“We’re super grateful to be doing it, and it’s all been really special,” he said. “Not that it wasn’t before, but we have a renewed appreciation for playing live these years.”
