From homegrown folk acts to viral indie rock groups, The Southern Cafe & Music Hall showcases new talent with unbridled passion every week. This past Thursday was no exception when the University’s own budding musicians took the spotlight. Student bands Boscobel and Looseleaf showed off their unique styles opening for The Barons, a locally beloved traveling rock band. Locals and University students alike filled the crowd, loving all three distinct bands throughout the three hour long show.
While shows at The Southern have a wide variety in turn-out, it was clear before the openers even began that the audience would not disappoint that night. Locals buzzed around the bar while a group of unapologetically enthusiastic college-aged girls lined the front row as Boscobel took center stage.
Starting off with Strugill Simpson’s honky tonk hit “You Can Have the Crown” and Tyler Childer’s popular “Whitehouse Road,” Boscobel wasted no time showing off the country flair they’re known for around Grounds.
Made up of Carter Morris, singer and McIntire graduate student, William Davis, bassist and Class of 2024 alumnus, Charlie Danis, guitarist and fourth-year College student, Jay Sorkin, fiddler and third-year Engineering student, Henry Campbell, keyboardist and third-year McIntire student, and Andrew Garver, drummer and fourth-year College student, Boscobel has been curating their folksy southern rock sound for about a year.
According to Morris, because of the band’s unique sound, they fill a niche in the University music scene.
“I’d like to think we have a different sound than most of the other bands at U.Va.,” Morris said. “That’s kinda why we decided to start playing in the first place — there weren’t many groups playing the southern rock and country kinda music we like to play.”
Boscobel showcased this sound through their unreleased original “Maybe She Just Won’t” from their upcoming debut album that Morris said the band hopes to put out later this year. It’s “fun and noisy” energy — two words that Morris used to describe the song — broke the crowd out of its shell as they bopped along to its catchy chorus.
For Morris, one of the best parts of performing live is getting to “feed off the energy” of the people in the audience. He shared that when the band created the music for their upcoming album, they tapped into this same practice — feeding off of one another to create a product with which they all resonated with and of which they felt proud.
“Looking forward to our next album, the songs were all written with different ideas in mind and everyone kinda throws in their own perspective or thoughts till we wind up with a song that represents all of us,” Morris said. “We think we’ve done a good job capturing different parts of our sound and making some decent music out of it.”
Closing out the set with an extended edition of Mt. Joy’s “Silver Lining,” Boscobel elicited unmatched energy from the hooting and hollering crowd, setting the audience up perfectly for Loose Leaf’s set.
Also a student-comprised band, Loose Leaf has been playing around Grounds for about two years. The group consists of Jacob Smith, singer and fourth-year College student, Christian Tessier, guitarist and fourth-year Batten student, Graham Guerette, keyboardist and fourth-year Engineering student, Evan DiCosmo, bassist and third-year Engineering student, and Will Huguley, drummer and third-year College student.
Having just opened for Swae Lee at the University Programs Council’s Welcome Concert — which they described as a “surreal” experience — Looseleaf has since gained broader recognition across the student body. Their palpable chemistry creates a vibrant stage presence which captivates the audience.
“What’s really great about [live performance] are those times when you’re just locked in a flow state with each other, not thinking about practice or anything but just communicating to the audience and enjoying the music as you make it,” Guerette said.
Loose Leaf expressed their excitement for this show especially because it gave them a chance to play alongside their fellow classmates.
“I was personally super excited to double head this opening act with Boscobel,” Smith said. “William and I have been friends since high school and we used to make music together back then. To see how far each of us has come since then is awesome.”
While Loose Leaf’s usual set list consists of a variety of pop, indie and classic rock, their selection on Thursday infused notes of jazz and funk as well.
“For this show we decided to switch things up from our typical set of crowd pleasers we’d play at a frat party or house show,” Smith said. “This was our first time playing The Southern, and we wanted to pick some songs that we felt we individually shine the best on to show people what we’re capable of musically apart from just being entertainers.”
Featuring jams like “Slip Back” by The Marcus King Band and “Deal” by The Grateful Dead, Loose Leaf showcased their stylistic range. They also showed off their musical chops by putting their own spin on more popular songs like Maroon 5’s “Sunday Morning” and “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls.
Towards the end of the set, Looseleaf brought out The Barons’ saxophonist and third-year College student Jack Peacock for “Hot Tea” by Goose. The highlight of the set, this song allowed Peacock’s saxophone solos to grip the audience, exciting them for what was to come from the headliner.
“It was so fun getting to share the stage with [Loose Leaf] and I hope to get to do it again soon,” Peacock said.
While Boscobel offered a southern twang and Looseleaf brought tones of pop and jazz, The Barons anchored the show with pure rock and roll.
These Virginia natives have been playing together since 2016, bringing their alternative sound up and down the east coast and making frequent stops in Charlottesville. Hoos may be used to hearing The Barons perform pop covers at fraternity parties, but the band showcased their more hard core rock side on Thursday with their originals.
“These ticketed shows are super fun for us because we get to play a lot of our original music,” Peacock said. “For me it’s a really great opportunity to show my friends what we really do as a band.”
Local fans sang along to The Barons’ most popular songs like “American High” and “Them Pretty Girls,” — and their unreleased single “Bouquet,” from their upcoming debut album, stuck out for its dynamic vocals and unique guitar tones.
The heavy drums and rocking guitar solos throughout the night emphasized the band’s rock persona. The visuals of the show accentuated it as well, with a complex light show hypnotizing the audience and highlighting the band’s own rock aesthetics. One audience member even remarked that frontman Peyton Alley’s long blonde hair and intricate black vest gave him a striking resemblance to the infamous rock star Kurt Cobain.
Boscobel and Looseleaf watching the show’s encore from the audience amidst their friends demonstrated that above all, Thursday night’s show was a coming together of the Charlottesville music community.
“The Southern always makes for a fun night and last night was no exception. I’m sure we’ll be back soon for another great night full of local music and good friends,” Peacock said.
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