Trails And Ways Miracle (Ghost Beach Cover)

I arrived at Pianos early for Trails And Ways' first ever New York City gig. My excitement for the evening's entertainment lead to more pre-show adult beverages than I had planned, but a few Stellas on top of a few shots of tequila hit the spot on one of the warmest Friday nights in the urban metropolis this year.

After getting my buzz on and woofing down some chicken quesadillas and fries, I was ready to listen to some live music, so I made my way into the rear area of the venue where folks congregate for the night's live acts. About four or five were slated, but I was here for one.

Keith Brower Brown, Hannah Van Loon, Emma Oppen, and Ian Quirk are the four talents who make up Trails And Ways, and I was extremely excited to see this intriguing band bring their sounds to life at one of my favorite NYC spots. The experience of hearing their music live, which included every tune from the recently released Trilingual, as well as an unrecorded song or two, was nothing short of delightful.

Keith flows with some righteous hipster swag on his guitar and vocals. Emma (bass/vocals) and Hannah (guitar/keyboard) are at his side doing work with a cool, stoic presence. Drummer/backbone Ian owns the percussions and does his job quite well. A few songs into the show, catching me off-guard, he took the vocal lead on an unreleased song (which I unfortunately did not catch the name of), and it was quite possibly the strongest of the night. That said, getting a live listen of their popular Indie Shuffle hits such as "Nunca," "Mountain Tune," "Border Crosser," and "Como Te Vas" was a real treat. The set flew by and I enjoyed it from start to finish.

I had the opportunity to meet each member, albeit briefly, after the gig. They joined their solid crowd in the tightly packed room for some time, selling merch and socializing with the folks that came out. It seemed that both brand new and previously accustomed listeners were approaching the guys to express their appreciation for the unique and talented band they just experienced.

Trails And Ways hustled on as they continue their Trans-America Trilingual tour, but only a few more shows are slated in cities scattering the U.S. and Canada. If they happen to be in a town near you, I highly recommend attendance.

Note: They did not play the song accompanying this review at the NYC show, but it is the only T&W song that isn't already posted on Indie Shuffle... yes, we love this band that much.