The Nude Party at The Sinclair — By Leora Karoll
The Nude Party opened their show on September 28th at The Sinclair with a dramatic long lead into “Stampede” accompanied by moody backlighting. I immediately noticed the impressive guitars and wide range of instruments they were tastefully flaunting. All seven band members entered the stage wearing embroidered and bedazzled denim jackets and jeans, often accompanied by a pair of cowboy boots. The lead vocalist and guitarist Patton Magee had a suave, confident, and low-key stage presence: not too cocky, but charismatic and eye-catching.
Their sound was polished, complex, and harmonious. It was evident that the musicians were well-trained and dedicated to their sound. Mid-way through the set, Magee captivated the audience with the sentimental backstory of the band while strumming his acoustic guitar. The band met at Appalachian State University in North Carolina about 9 years ago, and together pursued their dreams of becoming a rock n’ roll band. Together, they rented a house, practiced their music for countless hours, and at night bought kegs of beer and invited people to see their show. To keep the guests interested they would often take their clothes off mid-set, and thus, naturally adopted the name “The Nude Party”. Through their years of training together, they pushed each other to grow as musicians and refined their unique sound influenced by rock, country, and indie.
A highlight of the set was the guitarist Shaun Couture, who shined and showed off his skill in songs like “Cure is You” with pure-rock twangy guitar riffs. However, the most unique aspect of the band was Jon “Catfish” DeLorme on the pedal steel guitar. This unique instrument added an addictive, head-bang-worthy country twang to every song. It adorned songs such as “Astral Man” with a dramatic, Pink Floyd-esque quality. Other highlights included the songs “Wild Coyote” and “Somebody Tryin’ to Hoodoo Me”, a lively cover originally by Dr. John, which I was singing in my head on the ride home.
The Nude Party impressed with their creative use of instruments, such as using maracas as drumsticks, tambourines, harmonicas, conga drums, and a kazoo. These numerous instruments all played their role and did not feel overdone, but instead harmonious and stunningly polished.
The crowd adopted the energetic lightweight quality of the music. People were dancing, swaying, head-banging, and singing. Those around me who I interacted with were exceedingly respectful and friendly.
Seeing a vivacious rock band with grit, dedication, and skill left me feeling refreshed, satisfied, and uplifted. The band’s years of experience and passion were evident in their performance. There were no gimmicks; it was a purely good show. A performance like that feels hard to come by these days. In an era of rapid fame and TikTok sound bytes, acquired performance skills are often undervalued. I look fondly upon the rock musicians of the past for their skills and dedication to their performance. However, this show proved to me that in the contemporary musical era, rock n’ roll is not dead.
Setlist:
Stampede
Water on Mars
Cherry Red Boots
Polly Anne
Astral Man
Cure is You
Wild Coyote
Somebody Tryin’ to Hoodoo Me (Dr. John cover)
Nashville Record Co.
Six Days the The Road – with Lady Apple Tree (The Flying Burrito Brothers cover)
Lonely Heather
Feels Alright
Time to Go
What’s the Deal?
Chevrolet Van
Encore:
Up on Cripple Creek (The Band cover)
Life’s a Joke
Ride On
Tags: Leora Karroll, Sinclair, The Nude Party