For musicians who spend the majority of the year on the road, there’s nothing like coming home.
“We’ve been looking forward to the Gilley’s Dallas show for a long time,” said frontman Mike Eli of the Eli Young Band, the rock-tinged Texas country phenomenon from Denton.
Last Saturday, the band returned to Gilley’s Dallas after a two-month absence since its show in December.
Whether it was the intimate setting or the fact that the people of Dallas were welcoming them home, the band dominated the stage for the entire two-hour set. Both longtime EYB fans and first-time listeners were in the crowd.
“Seeing them for the first time live gave me a whole new outlook on the alt-country band,” said first-time EYB concert-attendee and SMU freshman Lauren Pruner. “Basically, they blew me away.”
EYB’s journey began while they were students at the University of North Texas.
Lead singer Eli (from Tomball, Texas) and guitarist James Young (from Irving) began as a duo and later added bassist Jon Jones from Colleyville and drummer Chris Thompson from Omaha, Neb., to create a unique fusion of four very different musical influences.
Whether it’s because of Young’s influences of blues and rock guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughn or Eli’s song-writing favorites Rodney Crowell and Paul Simon, every song on “Level” is a reflection of sound that can only be described as uniquely “Eli Young.”
After signing with Carnival Records, the band released “Level” in 2005, catapulting it into the spotlight and expanding the tour schedule beyond the Texas border.
Their single “When It Rains” currently circulates on mainstream country radio stations as well as country music television channels.
The band’s live album, “Live at the Jolly Fox,” recorded at the Huntsville venue, has also proved extremely successful since its release last May.
Having performed with powerhouses such as Pat Green, Randy Rogers Band, Jack Ingram and Cross Canadian Ragweed, it’s evident that the local rockers have quickly made a name for themselves-a big one.
With a tour schedule packed with four to five shows a week, sometimes crossing several state borders within days, the band never forgets their roots, making frequent appearances in the Dallas area.
Last Saturday, EYB performed alongside the Randy Rogers Band and Gary Allan at the Texas Mardi Gras weekend at Fair Park.
“Eli Young Band did an amazing job at Mardi Gras in Dallas; they really know how to work a crowd,” said long-time fan and Texas A&M sophomore Tamara Himmelreich.
“I don’t think there is any way for anyone to go to one of their live concerts and leave without loving them,” she said.
With a live act that never fails to impress, the Feb. 24 Gilley’s performance deserves special merit.
In addition to playing most of the crowd favorites, from the high energy, rock-tinged “Level” to “Everything is You,” a ballad that captures the loneliness of a love lost, the band showcased several songs from its new album that’s for release sometime this year.
These new songs definitely display their growth as writers.
For those fans well-versed in the band’s current songs, expect a sound that is characteristically “Eli Young,” not deviating from the style that made them famous, yet drawing from new influences.
The crowd liked what they heard. The songs are fresh and give insight into life on the road and the band’s experiences since the release of “Level” almost two years ago.
If the reception of these new tracks gives any indication of the new album’s potential success, EYB can expect an even greater fan following with this much-anticipated release.
“I still can’t get enough of their music and concerts,” said Himmelreich. “They are the best; I can’t wait to see them perform again and for their new CD to come out.”
Their addictive sound and spectacular live performances attest to their talent as musicians, but it’s their devotion and appreciation to their fans that speak volumes.
At one point during the show, Eli said that the band’s goal was always for their fans to one day be able to sing their songs back to them.
They got their wish.
“I know some of ya’ll may not like the smaller venue,” said Eli to the Gilley’s audience, “but we can see you, and that’s important to us.”