Kitchen Dwellers brought harmonious jams to recordBar

December 6, 2023

Allison Scavo,

Kitchen Dwellers. // photo by Allison Scavo

Kitchen Dwellers
with Armchair Boogie
recordBar
Sunday, December 3

As Kitchen Dwellers walked on stage, rap played and had everyone happily confused yet excited. Shawn Swain picking the mandolin, Torrin Daniels ripping the banjo, Joe Funk slapping the upright bass, and Max Davies jamming on the acoustic guitar fused their energies and talent by ethereally communicating when to transition into the next set of harmonious jams. To pigeonhole Kitchen Dwellers as a bluegrass band would be a disservice, for their inspirations and hues vary across cultures, including mythological legends told through a psychadelic kaleidoscope of music infused with soul, funk, and folktronica.

Catch their new album, Seven Devils, out March 1, which you can read all about in our interview with Max Davies.

Armchair Boogie is a name that somehow oddly perfects their vibe: a folk, funk, and bluegrass that originated on a front porch. A band that can turn downhome bluegrass into an upbeat groove with contagious rhythm is not to be missed, and this Wisconsin based group is no exception. As I entered, the crowd was already screaming to the point where I questioned if I had missed them. I quickly realized they had just gotten on stage and the frenzied elation was merely for their presence. From the first note to the elongated jams and everything in between, Armchair Boogie aerated the venue with unforgettable energy.

All photos by Allison Scavo

Kitchen Dwellers