On Thursday, February 26, The Record Company celebrated the 10th anniversary of their debut album, Give It Back To You, with a nearly sold-out show at Irving Plaza. The band performed the record in full, with some additional fan favorites to round out the set.
Originally formed in Los Angeles, the trio found immediate success with Give It Back To You. The lead single, “Off the Ground”, climbed to No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Adult Alternative Songs chart, and the album earned a GRAMMY nomination for Best Contemporary Blues Album in 2017. Comprised of Chris Vos on guitar and vocals, Alex Stiff on bass and backing vocals, and Marc Cazorla on drums and backing vocals, the group’s gritty, blues-driven sound translates seamlessly from studio to stage.
The evening opened with a set from bluesman Jontavious Willis. Hailing from Greenville, Georgia, the singer-songwriter performed just over a half-hour set of pure Delta blues. Armed with only a fingerpicked resonator guitar, Willis captivated the audience with his playing and witty lyrics.
The Record Company took the stage shortly after 8:30 p.m., starting the set off with “Baby, I’m Broken”, a single from 2017. As they worked their way through the album, the band stretched a few of the songs into some longer jams. During the outro of “In the Mood for You,” they even slipped in a tease of “Seek & Destroy” by Metallica.
Midway through their set, singer Chris Vos shared that the band is in the process of signing a new record deal and is currently working on a new album. For the encore, the trio returned to the stage with a cover of “So What’cha Want” by Beastie Boys. Before the song, Vos noted they wanted to play something especially fitting for the New York crowd.
The tour runs through the end of March, wrapping up with a hometown performance at the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles.
The Record Company – Irving Plaza – Thursday, February 26
Setlist: Baby I’m Broken, How High, Don’t Let Me Get Lonely, Rita Mae Young, On The Move, Hard Day Coming Down, Feels So Good, Stay Up High, Talk To Me, Last Lonely Winter, Life To Fix, Turn Me Loose, Give It Back To You, This Crooked City, In the Mood for You, Off the Ground.
Encore: So What’cha Want (Beastie Boys cover), I’m Getting Better (and I’m Feeling It Right Now)
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