Article and photos by: Gary Flink

New York, NY-  The Lone Bellow, the Brooklyn based indie-folk trio of Zach Williams (lead vocals, guitar), Brian Elmquist (vocals, guitar) and Kanene Pipkin (vocals, mandolin, bass, keys) played a 3 night residency at New York City’s Bowery Ballroom and ended their stay with an emotionally charged, high-energy, and passionate 2hr show to ring in 2017 on New Year’s Eve.

With 2 studio albums, The Lone Bellow (2013), Then Came the Morning (2015), rooted in folk and Americana, the trio combines powerful vocals with pitch-perfect, ethereal harmonies that blend seamlessly and sing as one. Their song writing is emotion-laced and raw…lyrics penned from heartache and personal struggle. The pure honesty and gospel undertone in their unified voices though creates the sense, and paints the imagery, of spiritual togetherness, support and shared strength which sharply contrasts the lyrical anguish in their songs and helps deliver the broader message which resonates deeply throughout their music…hope, love and the belief in a better future.

The band, joined on stage by Jason Pipkin on keys and Justin Glasco on drums, began their set an hour before midnight and opened with “Diners” from their debut album. Feeding off of the receptive and energized New Years Eve crowd Zach Williams quickly worked himself into a full sweat and his contagious enthusiasm had the audience involved in foot-stomping, rafter-shaking choral sing-a-longs after just the first few songs.

Although Williams is clearly The Lone Bellow’s front man and high-powered energy hub, the night provided plenty of opportunities for Brian Elmquist and Kanene Pipkin to take center stage on lead vocals and showcase their incredible talent and artistry.

Always grounded in Americana, the band’s library of songs cross numerous genres but can always find roots in alt-country, folk, blues, gospel and rock n’ roll. The night’s setlist flowed between all and was highlighted by their last song of 2016…a passion-filled, prayerful rendition of “Watch Over Us” from their second album, which the trio sang in close harmony while sharing one vocal mic, even further helping drive the song’s, and band’s, message of support and solidarity.

The song ended a few seconds before midnight and the trio then counted down the last few seconds of the year with the crowd and welcomed in the New Year with an incredibly moving rendition of Auld Lang Syne, which left very few dry eyes in the sold-out house.

Williams and the band continued to play for the next hour, never taking their foot off the gas pedal and repeatedly thanking the crowd for allowing them to play their music and do what they love and at one point telling the crowd “When I was younger I always dreamed of playing The Bowery Ballroom”.

The night ended with Williams, Elmquist and Pipkin each climbing off of the stage during their final song of the night, “Teach Me To Know”, and making their way through the tightly packed crowd as the trio, along with everyone in the audience sang along…500+ voices intertwined and singing as one.

In that moment, the message of unity and hope from the band and their music could not have been any clearer.