Kelsey shows the power of loving hard with an emotive album release show at the Arboretum in Saline.
Kelsey Love Hard at the Arboretum
Kelsey Love Hard
The phrase genre-bending is apropos when listening to Kelsey’s debut album, Love Hard. She blends new wave, rock, dream-pop, and even slender twangs of country on this album, released on August 7. For a completely immersive listening experience, Kelsey devised an album release show featuring all sixteen tracks from the new album in order at the new Arboretum music venue in Saline.
The house lights dropped, leaving the stage draped in shadow save for a few valiant lights acting as beacons for the band. Warming up the stage were Nate Veldhoff (keyboards), Mike Harrington (guitar), and Billy Harrington (drums) playing what sounded to me like covers of classic new wave tunes. I thought to myself, “Are they playing Duran Duran? Was that Talk Talk or perhaps Tears For Fears?” This modest opening offered a shimmering glimpse at the story to be told.
Nate Veldhoff
Mike Harrington
Billy Harrington
A Musical Storybook
As my mind struggled to place the music with the band, they shifted into the lead track from Love Hard, “Wasted,” with its signature rock riff conjuring a meaner likeness to “Hungry Like The Wolf” by Duran Duran. The sound was dialed in tight with a balanced mix that gave each instrument room to breathe.
The propulsive thump of Kelsey’s bass sat on top of the bass drum of Billy Harrington, combining into a hip-shaking punch with cascading rhythms. With this rock-solid foundation in place, Nate Veldhoff’s keyboards and Mike Harrington’s guitar colored in the canvas with textured harmonies and pastel melodies. We were then left with Kelsey’s spellbinding vocals—up front, in the center, and warmly shining the way. As our guide, she moved us through a novel exploring the myriad facets of love.
Kelsey Love Hard at the Arboretum
Absorbing Love Hard
For the Love Hard release show, Kelsey and her band took us through every track on the album. She only stopped briefly to “flip the album” from side to side. This gave us a unique, immersive experience: you could not only listen to and see the music performed, but also hear the songwriter share insights into it.
As we moved through the sides of Love Hard with Kelsey, we experienced the dreamy pop of “Girl Loves Boy,” the Beatles-esque tapestry of harmony and melody within “Eternal Flame,” the country summer hope of “Live My Life,” the syncopated funkiness of “Animal,” the Irish keening of “One Day,” and the wistful ocean currents of “Answer To Love.”
Kelsey Love Hard at the Arboretum
Driving Off with A Black Dog
The final track “Drive” ended Kelsey’s set with the smoky blues confidence of a summer night in Chicago. Instead of playing the standard encore game, Kelsey asked if we wanted one more, which met with a cheer. Leaving the bass work to Nate, Kelsey assumed the role of Robert Plant as the band jammed Led Zeppelin’s “Black Dog” to cap off the night.
Kelsey is a strong, vibrant songwriter and performer. Fans of Sara Bareilles and Brandi Carlile as well as New Wave and the Beatles will find much to love in her debut album Love Hard.
Kelsey Love Hard at the Arboretum
Pictures
We got more photos from Kelsey’s Love Hard album release show at the Arboretum in Saline in our gallery. For more on the new album and words from Kelsey, check out the review/interview on The Stratton Setlist.
Kelsey Love Hard at the Arboretum
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