On April 25, 2018, a band called Stacked Like Pancakes rolled into the Southgate House Revival in Newport, Kentucky. I wasn’t familiar with the band and didn’t know what to expect, but I was absolutely blown away by this Baltimore-based brass rock band.
Two local bands opened the show – JIMS, a space punk band from Newport, Kentucky, and Freak Mythology, a funky rock band from just across the river in Cincinnati, Ohio. Both bands had a really unique flare and interesting style.
When it was time for the headliner, a lone guitar player took the stage. He urged the crowd to move closer to the stage. That lone guitar player was actually Stacked Like Pancakes’ lead singer Kellen McKay, and he kicked things off with a fun sing-along song about “money and how much it sucks.”
Then….BOOM! Out came Zach Foote, Alec Leventis, Michael Busch, Andy Dawson, Kevin Goren, and Will Lopez. Guitar. Drums. Bass. Trumpet. Trombones. The stage was suddenly packed with young, fun musicians and a unique, rich sound.
It was like a constant party from the moment the music began. There was synchronized jumping, hand clapping, sing-alongs, crowd mingling, joke telling, and apparently there was even some pancake eating with the band just before the show for the first 20 ticket buyers (sorry I missed that!).
Stacked Like Pancakes played four songs from their third album Strange Creatures, which will be released later this year. Fans can become a part of the journey by pledging now, with exclusive rewards including signed copies of the record, autographed posters, personal album credit in the liner notes, and more. To pre-order the record, please visit: smarturl.it/StrangeCreatures. The pledge campaign ends soon so get your order in NOW!
The guys played “Hollow” which is the first single from the new album. This track was produced by multi-platinum music producer and writer Matt Squire, whose credits include Kesha, Demi Lovato, Good Charlotte, Selena Gomez, All Time Low, Panic! at the Disco, and Taking Back Sunday – just to name a few. With his experience and knowledge, Stacked Like Pancakes has crafted a hot rock song, complete with growling guitars and boisterous brass. You can check out the video for “Hollow” here:
To close the show, the high-energy septet played their crazy cool (if not controversial) song, “45”. Inspired by Donald Trump, “45” is a song of defiance, hope, and humor in a time when we desperately need all three.
Stacked Like Pancakes’ sound is almost indescribable because it is a genre that defies traditional definitions and boundaries. A little punk, a little jazz, a little rock, a little pop all woven into a thick sonic texture through a synthesis of inspirations including Reel Big Fish, twenty one pilots, Foo Fighters, Paramore, Cage the Elephant, and an untraceable amount of other artists and genres.
Stacked Like Pancakes’ live show is every bit as fun and carefree as their name would imply. If you would like them to come to a town near you, the best thing you can do is listen to them on Spotify. They watch those statistics closely and route their tour mostly to cities where they have fans and followers. So start listening and go see them live if you can!
Show Review By Cathy Moore of Moore Rock Shots & Reviews
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Check out our photos of Stacked Like Pancakes performing in Newport, KY below!
