CHARLOTTE, NC — The neighborhood Theater was buzzing with indie rock fans on Friday, as The Nude Party returned to the Queen City for an evening of energetic roots garage rock. The last time the band played in the area was just over a year ago at the Queen City Jam Session festival, making it a highly anticipated show among fans to see them in a headline setting.
Lady Apple Tree, aka Haylie Hostetter, opened the show with a 45-minute set of solo acoustic material. With her self-titled debut E.P. released earlier the same day, she was in high spirits to play a handful of her songs to a crowd that grew by the minute. Opening with “Give me a Rainbow,” her beautiful folk-inspired voice drew the audience into her musical storytelling. By the time she hit her closing song, “Golden Girl,” the room was nearly full and she undoubtedly picked up some new fans from her first visit to North Carolina.
As The Nude Party hit the stage, the room was packed, welcoming the group with a roar of cheering. They exploded into a debut cover of Link Wray’s “Rumble,” which segued into “Mars≤” getting the crowd dancing to the beat right away. They tore through a trio of songs before stopping to breathe and say “hi” to the eager fans. As they strummed the opening chords of “Nashville,” lead vocalist / guitarist Patton Magee told the audience stories of the band’s beginnings a decade ago in the nearby city of Boone, NC.
The group brought Lady Apple Tree out for a high energy cover of Emmylou Harris’s “Six Days on the Road” midway through the set, before playing their latest single “Sold Out of Love,” from this year’s The Nude Party Rides On release. The band’s aesthetic is highly reminiscent of 1970s style, fitting well with their catchy, hook-heavy songwriting. Songs like “Feels Alright” and “Wild Coyote” from the group’s 2018 breakthrough self-titled album had the crowd singing and dancing along, while their cover of Bob Dylan’s “Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here With You” was a beautiful nod to the band’s folk rock roots.
The group’s encore started with an energetic run through of “Life Is a Joke,” from their 2016 debut album. The song was the perfect vehicle for band introductions, giving each member a moment to show off their skills. The final send off for the evening was the lead single and title track from this year’s Rides On album, leaving the audience calling for more. Check The Nude Party’s social media for tour dates!