To truly get the full experience, you have to see He’s My Brother She’s My Sister live. The Los Angeles quintet–based around the sibling duo of Rachel and Rob Kolar–grew up out of the theater scene, which helps explain their exuberant shows. A recent performance on The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson had the host jumping out of his chair for some impromptu dancing–not an uncommon reaction towards the band.
The group describes their sound as “glam-a-billy” or “flamboyant folk,” and it’s probably somewhere between the two. Their songs burst forth with folk-inspired melodies, but the (not so) secret weapon is drummer Lauren Brown, who keeps time by tap-dancing on a drum head while simultaneously banging out the beat on a pair of toms. Rachel Kolar likens her to an octopus; He’s My Brother’s songs explode thanks to this rhythmic intensity. The band’s debut album, last year’s Nobody Dances In This Town, does a remarkable job at capturing the party-like atmosphere.
Tonight, He’s My Brother She’s My Sister will bring the party to the fifth annual Utopia Fest, a three-day music festival located about two-and-a-half hours southwest of Austin. An open-air festival–especially one located in the heart of the Hill Country–should be the perfect environment for He’s My Brother to find their groove, and today, we’ll let Nobody Dances highlight “The Same Old Ground” get you in the mood.
