The Electric Sons lit up the Tabernacle
The Electric Sons are due for more attention in bigger arenas and from a more expansive fan base. It’s not a matter of if, but when.
- Photographer Ashley Cline
Three years together, and with two EPs under their belt, Atlanta boys the Electric Sons took to the Tabernacle’s stage Oct. 24 to open for Capital Cities. Vocalist/guitarist Andrew Miller warmly addressed the audience after crushing their first song of the night, the tom-tom and handclap-heavy “Breakaway,” saying the experience was “one of the biggest honors of my life.”
The quartet lined up close to the stage’s lip in crisp, mostly black attire (Electric Sons, if you care to share what black clothing laundry detergent you use, please email me), gracious grins across their mugs. Miller lost his hoodie and gained a Sharpie-scrawled acoustic guitar to kick off “Carry On,” a real group sing-along number. Multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Benjamin Richards, Electric Sons’ other principal performer, scooted a chevron-printed drum closer to thwap a driving beat, joining drummer Jason Monseur. Surging synths washed over the expanding, enchanted crowd — Chris Ziegler’s steady bass acting as an anchor so the group didn’t float away.
The Sons pounded on, arranging delicate keys and vocal layers to craft a quilted dance floor. If any of the four members were nervous that evening, it certainly didn’t show. Miller, especially, played his role well — a solid frontman composed of equal parts hometown pride and expertly sculpted pomade.
Five songs into their set, “Revolutionist” conjured more clapping among wild Rufio-esque beats. Almost no free space existed on the floor at this point. Fellow audience members chose their own adventure — some grooving their hips, others finding someone to make out with. A few folks discreetly pulled out vaporizers, and at least one couple eased a small child wearing noise-cancelling headphones onto their shoulders for a better view.
“Daydreamer,” a heart-melting cut from their 2012 self-titled EP, set them up to finish with the explosive single “Breathing Electricity.” Miller shouted, “Atlanta, make some fucking noise!” before leaping into it. The sound was so enormous and inclusive, for just a moment, the former Baptist church became an open, sun-filled, and completely packed festival scene.
The Sons coasted in for a smooth landing at the end of “Breathing Electricity.” There was no sputtering as the dudes bid adieu and left the audience thirsty for more. It’s evident the Electric Sons are due for more attention in bigger arenas and from a more expansive fan base. It’s not a matter of if, but when.