Photos by Jenn Noga
Cleveland’s House of Blues was blue on Friday night, but not for the reason you may think. Kingston, Ontario’s The Glorious Sons took the stage as direct support for The Struts on their 2018 U.S. tour to showcase their sophomore album Young Beauties and Fools and spread their unique musical blend of rock, blues and soul.
From the moment The Glorious Sons set foot on stage, the room fixated with perfect attention on frontman Brett Emmons. In fact, you could hear a pin drop shortly into their first song “My Poor Heart” featuring strong vocals and soft piano. As the song built, the audience’s energy skyrocketed; a reflection of the band’s stage presence.
Fans who have been with the band since their 2013 debut were waving their arms to their first hit “Mama.” Emmons’ extraordinary harmonica skills surprised the entire crowd as well as when the band joined all their voices to create melodies and harmonies for the fan favorite “Sawed Off Shotgun” from the new record.
The Glorious Sons played their lead single “Everything Is Alright” closer to the end of their set and proved itself to be a universal crowd pleaser and a showstopper. The sensational rock hit was given a loud standing ovation from the balcony seats and the Sons’ set was not even finished. “Kill The Lights” appropriately concluded the night and peaked audience interest and emotion. Cheers demanded “one more song” but sadly, The Glorious Sons had played their time. The band truly made new fans who cannot get enough of their sound.
One trait this group possesses that few in the music industry can pull off is their ability to cater to an audience of all ages. Teenagers enjoyed the show as much as the couples who are young at heart proving that being a fan is ageless. The Glorious Sons brought high energy to the House of Blues and grants high hopes to the future of rock and roll.