X AMBASSADORS AT HOUSE OF BLUES CAMBRIDGE THEATER
NOVEMBER 10TH, 2015 |
X Ambassadors are a unique quartet with an appeal all their own. With roots stemming from the downtrodden, quiet town of Ithaca, New York, an obvious influence of classical hard-rock, soul-pop and hip hop co-mingled into a web of distinction, this group has endured adversities and turmoil to make their way to the top of the charts. Lead vocalist Sam Harris and his older brother, Casey Harris, who is completely blind and a superb keyboardist, head the band with longtime friend since kindergarten, Noah Feldshuh, on bass and avid drummer Adam Levin, whom the trio met in the dorm halls of the New School in New York City. The tribe often refers to themselves as a, “brotherhood,” whose closeness is keenly conveyed amid their syncopation and cohesiveness during their live shows. From straining for gigs early on, struggling to increase their fan base in the oversaturated New York hipster scene, to the sudden decrease in health of member Casey Harris, subsequently resulting in the dire need of a kidney transplant, this band has mustered past hardship to be where they are today. Their debut LP, VHS, has tale-tell insight from their transgressions from the start of their careers to today, bringing their journey full circle.
The band’s energy has a fortitude and endurance missing from a lot of pop/rock groups today, which they portrayed onstage in Dallas at the House of Blues Cambridge Theater. As the group performed the chart topping, “Renegades” their resilience carried over in Sam’s fervent vocal tones, paired with dance moves and employment of every object within close enough proximity for effect. Multiple times did he engage the crowd as he serenaded them, hanging over the railing. He even performed a couple saxophone pieces, an attribute to his musical skill-set many fans hadn’t previously known he possessed.
X Ambassadors have toured with big names such as Panic! At The Disco, and lable-mates Imagine Dragons, who appear on VHS along with Jamie N Commons. As the group carries out the remainder of the VHS Tour, we expect a surge of adrenaline as they streamline their way to the forefront of the industry, one step at a time.
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