Team GDW took a midweek road trip down to The Filene Center at Wolf Trap in Vienna, VA just last week to catch a concert from Australian soul-rockers The Teskey Brothers. It’s not often we undertake a 250-mile round trip for a show when having to be up at the crack of dawn for work the next day, so maybe a brief explanation is needed as to how this band very quickly won us over.
My first taste of music from the Teskey Brothers happened purely by chance late last year during an office commute. Tuned in to one of my favorite SiriusXM radio stations, “Hold Me” would burst from the speakers, leaving me instantly in awe of the sweet 60s era soul sounds I was hearing. A glance at the radio display flashed up the name of the band – and was noted. Perhaps a week or two later, driving that same regular stretch of highway, the band name appeared on the radio display again, this time with their single “So Caught Up,” which proved to be an equally enjoyable listening pleasure. It was time to learn more about this band.
Discovering that the Teskey Brothers hailed from Australia certainly intrigued me – as did their sound, an amalgamation of Otis Redding style old soul, wrapped in blues-laced guitars, vintage Hammond organ cues, and jazz-inspired horns. A couple of months would pass before stumbling upon a copy of their 2018 “Half Mile Harvest” full length debut album at a record store in Pittsburgh – an easy purchase that came home with us. And while it took a couple of months for the album to finally spin on the GDW turntable, the moment the needle and record made contact, and those sweet soul sounds filled our home, we knew that this was a band that just had to be experienced live. A quick glance at their tour schedule, and lo and behold, they were touring North America this summer and happened to be in our area soon – tickets bought! Oh, and I must add that three more of their albums were found in record store visits since – also bought!
With around 3000 people in attendance at the Filene Center at Wolf Trap (a great outdoors amphitheater in the DC suburbs), as the venue and stage lights dimmed to signal the start of the show, Nina Simone’s “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free” would play in its entirety under these blackout conditions – those stage lights illuminating gradually as the song closed and an enthusiastic audience welcoming the band as they made their way onto the stage. Led by siblings Josh Teskey (lead vocals/rhythm guitar/harmonica) and Sam Teskey (lead guitar/vocals), along with bandmates Olaf Scott (keys), Fabian Hunter (bass/acoustic guitar/vocals), Nick Lawrence (drums), Audrey Powne (trumpet/vocals) and Lily Shaw (saxophone/vocals), the audience were treated to an energetic 75-minute performance that encompassed the band’s music catalogue.
Launching immediately into a cover of Freddie King’s “I Love the Woman,” followed by their own “Pain and Misery,” Josh would take a moment to address the crowd in VA. “How’s everybody doing? We’re called the Teskey Brothers and we’re here from Melbourne, Australia,” he offered. “I’m lucky to say what an honor it is to see all of you folks down here tonight. Thanks for coming here and being a part of this show with us and supporting us for what is our first ever show here at Wolf Trap. It’s an absolute honor to be here, and an honor to have you all down here.”
As one song ended and the next quickly started, Josh was happy to pause from time to time to connect and share tales behind the tunes with the audience. “This is a song I like to send out to people in your life, those people that gave you a helping hand that time when you needed it and didn’t ask for it,” he offered, prior to “Carry You.” “It’s a song about being there for each other and caring for each other sometimes.” He would do the same to introduce an older tune from their debut album. “We’re gonna go way, way back here just for a second. This is one of the first original songs we ever put together and it’s a song we haven’t been playing live for six or seven years, and we thought we’d bring it back for this tour,” he announced. “It’s a song about doing a little too much of one thing. Doing a little too much of one thing that’s not good for you. They say everything in moderation is alright. This is a song called Shiny Moon.”
Having spun a pair of band’s live albums prior to attending the show, we knew that their on-stage chemistry and sound would be amazing – and yes, it was an unreal time-travel adventure to decades past. The bursts of piano and B3 from Olaf at just the right times; the smooth, yet potent horns from Audrey and Lily filling the arena, with Fabian and Nick holding down the groove and beat all evening. When not holding down rhythm guitar duties, Josh would switch out for the harmonica or just his microphone as he moved around stage ‘in the moment’ – dropping to his knees briefly to add extra passion to some vocals during “I Get Up.”
And how about those vocals, that possess his authentic, raw, wailing soul ‘grit’ – and which Headliner Hub columnist Alice Gustafson once described perfectly as being ‘possessed by the holy spirt of Otis Redding or Wilson Pickett, sent here to deliver us from mediocre vocals.’ If you are looking for a vocalist that is perfectly tuned in to the golden era of soul music, Josh Teskey is your man. I’d have to name-drop fellow Aussie, and now Canadian based Americana artist Mikhail Laxton into that conversation too, in fairness. Jeremie Albino is another – best stop now…
While younger sibling Sam Teskey remains less vocal – his microphone solely to capture his harmonies – here is a very underrated guitarist that lets his six-string do his talking. I’m sure like myself, many have observed mediocre guitarists embellishing their abilities with over-the-top theatrics and showmanship on stage – while their naturally skilled counterparts prefer to keep a low profile and simply play. Sam Teskey falls into the latter, his guitar licks kicking in and out with precision, always impeccable, never flashy. Equally adept with the acoustic variety, he would fingerpick beautifully during a campfire version of “Carry Me Home” with his brother and Fabian (also with an acoustic guitar) at center stage – accompanied by Olaf on keys.
But with so much energy around him, Sam had his moments – his lengthy solo to open “Paint My Heart” was jaw dropping, as were his spotlight segments during the epic fourteen minutes of “What Will Be.” And if you’re looking for highlight reel stuff, pay attention when he casually unstraps his guitar and tosses it nonchalantly ten feet away to guitar tech Camila Duque – talk about leaving us breathless – you know that is not a cheap store-bought kind of instrument going airborne. Dazzling even more and leaving many heads shaking in disbelief, the synchronized tossing of guitars later between Sam and Camila was almost illusion-like – and I was certainly left wondering how many times this high-stakes juggling act may have gone horribly wrong during past shows.
With a harmonica and guitar filled extended jam to close out the show, the band would bid us a good evening – returning for an encore performance and pair of their popular tunes to bring the night to a close. So, to return to my earlier question about this rare midweek outing and late return home (with an early morning rising) being worth it? In a nutshell, it absolutely was. The Teskey Brothers impressed me when I first heard them on the radio, more so when spinning their albums, and totally lived up to the hype with their on-stage performance. Melbourne’s best kept secret is no more – here’s hoping that they return to our shores again soon.
Set List:
- I Love the Woman (Freddie King cover)
- Pain and Misery
- Oceans of Emotions
- Carry You
- So Caught Up
- I Get Up
- Rain
- Carry Me Home (campfire version)
- Shiny Moon
- Paint My Heart
- What Will Be
Encore:
- Forever You and Me
- Hold Me (**Unconfirmed**)
The British guy that crossed the ocean and crash landed in central Pennsylvania (to quote Greg Keelor, “And I wonder what am I doing here?”). As the youngest of four siblings, exposure to music from a very early age nurtured my passion and appreciation for many musical genres. Continuing to discover some amazingly diverse and talented musicians based in Canada, I gravitate to live music experiences and remain devoted to spreading the word about such a vibrant music scene.
