As a fan of rock music, I jump at the opportunity to go to every concert I can. This weekend, I was given the opportunity to travel to Birmingham, Alabama and see The Weeks live at Saturn, a popular space-themed bar in the Avondale area.
I did not know much about the band initially, despite the few times I had listened to them on Spotify. I was expecting a very relaxed crowd, as the venue was smaller. However, when I arrived I was surprised at the size of the crowd that accumulated in Saturn. The opening band, Locust Forks was compromised of guitarist Uel Dee’s own father which was very interesting. The group played mostly cover songs, including one rendition of “One Way Out” by The Allman Brothers. Despite the younger audience, which was mostly local teens and older hipsters, the energy was high.
The second opening band, King Magnum brought a whole new level to the stage. They had a distinct punk sound, similar to Fidlar or Wavves. They thrashed around the stage and had incredible stage presence.
Finally, The Weeks came onstage to the sound of thunderous applause and screams from everyone in the crowd. They started off playing songs from their newest album, “Thank You Bo Jackson.” (War Eagle to that!) Their music is a blend of good old Southern rock with indie influences, similar to Avett Brothers or The Alabama Shakes. Lyrically, their songs revolve around love, relationships, and references to their hometown of Jackson, Mississippi. The venue soon became a mosh pit reminiscent of underground high school concerts, and the feeling in the air was absolutely electric. People danced with strangers, a few crowd surfed, and others screamed the lyrics like nothing I had ever seen before.
Going into this concert with no idea of the band, I left as a complete fan. The lead singer and drummer, twins Cain and Cyle Barnes, had such a connection with the audience. Cyle was so deeply entrenched into the music that his eyes rolled into the back of his head while hitting high notes, while the bassist Damien Bone, frequently seemed to be in a trance-like state. After playing for about an hour, the band came back on stage after the audience cheered for an encore. That was when they played their most popular song “Buttons,” and the entire room came alive. After the show, we waited around and got the chance to meet Cain and Cyle Barnes, both were very friendly and genuine guys.
The band was signed to Kings of Leon’s record label Serpents and Snakes in 2011, and recently The Weeks completed their first European tour. I seriously believe that these guys will become wildly popular. If you get the chance to catch them on the rest of their tour, I highly recommend it before they become the next big thing. You find the rest of their tour dates on their website.
Also, for a first timer in Birmingham, I really enjoyed Rowes, a quaint service-station turned restaurant in Avondale. Their chicken and waffles were almost a spiritual experience, and it’s conveniently located down the road from Saturn.
