Bandits on the Run at Chautauqua Institution
Route 394, Chautauqua, NY 14722
Between their innovative arrangements, instrument swapping, scope of emotions and experiences conveyed in their songwriting, and an eclectic group of old friends and collaborators, NYC-based trio Bandits on the Run are truly living up to what they call their “ethos of artmaking” on their new album, Rough Magic.
With rotating lead vocals and varied instrumentation, the trio of Adrian Blake Enscoe, Sydney Shepherd, and Regina Strayhorn evoke the 60s and 70s spirit of bands like Fleetwood Mac, The Mamas and the Papas, and The Velvet Underground while also carrying the sonic inventiveness of the modern folk power pop acts like First Aid Kit, Bonnie Light Horsemen, and Lucius. They swim in the same lyrical waves as I’m With Her, Folk Bitch Trio, The Staves, and other trios featuring impeccable harmonies and elevated songwriting so good they make the balancing act seem simple. The band’s sophomore full-length, Rough Magic, is about friends — how we connect with them (or fail to), how we fight with them, and most importantly, how we love them. It’s a testament and a celebration of what’s possible when making something from nothing with your nearest and dearest.