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| Ben Hardesty of The Last Bison |
The Last Bison a rising young seven-piece band from Chesapeake VA made their Denver debut at the Larimer Lounge on Tuesday. Combining elements of alternative indie and mountain top chamber music they have created a sound very similar to bands like Mumford and Sons and the Decemberists. The modest crowd most of which was there to see headliner Kishi Bashi was pleasantly surprised as The Last Bison took the stage performing songs from their debut album “Quill”. Before their set the band told me it was very important for them to translate the joy of making music onstage to their audience and they successfully did just that. The group’s intricate arrangements topped with catchy melodies and lyrics quickly won the awe of the audience.
With an average age of 23 the young septet played with finesse and maturity beyond their years. There was purity to the group’s performance especially on songs like “Iscariot” one of the few songs without percussion. At the forefront lead singer Ben Hardesty showed an intense connection to the music as he played through broken guitar strings and some early sound system issues without skipping a beat. On the song “Switzerland” his uniquely expressive voice moved from soft melodic highs to emotional growls. The standalone bass drum center stage added to the performance with Hardesty moving from guitar to drums with ease. Beautifully blended vocal harmonies, perfect syncopation, and powerful percussions made for a solid performance.
The Last Bison started soon after Ben Hardesty finished high school and began writing music. His father Dan helped him book shows and performed with him along with sister Anna Hardesty. Joined by brothers Jay and Andrew Benfante and friends Teresa Totheroh and Amos Housworth The Last Bison started roaming the cities of Virginia to perform.
If you haven’t caught a Bison show live I suggest you do it soon. The band recently signed with the Universal Republic Label and will release a new 4 song digital only EP “Inheritance” on October 23rd. With plans for a national tour early next year this may be your last chance to catch the band in a more intimate setting. Information on the groups schedule can be found at www.thelastbison.com or by following the band’s Facebook page.
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| The Last Bison performing at Larimer Lounge, Denver CO |
