Concert Review: The Lonely H at New World Brewery
July 14th, 2009 by Kate Cillian in Concerts, News
As I type this review, the memories of an unbelievable show put on by The Lonely H linger in my mind and make my heart soar. I’ve always sworn that I was born in the wrong era, and these guys give me hope that great throwback music can be found in this day and age.
To start the show, lead singer Mark Fredson gave us an important tidbit of information: “This is Eric’s first show with out a mustache. He’s had it since high school.”
Eric admitted, “I feel naked.” On that note, the audience was given a clue about the general vibe put off by these dudes: super laid back.
Hailing all the way from the rainy town of Port Angeles, Wash., The Lonely H takes us back to the classic sounds of American blues rock ala The Eagles, Tom Petty, and the Stones. This foursome has been all over the country (NY, IL, NB, MS, and more) in a crappy old van “with no AC!” When prompted, they said that “a European tour would be ideal. Like Spain or Prague.” They call themselves a “denim rock” band. What exactly is denim rock? Well, I had to ask…
“Whenever a person thinks of denim, they think of an average American just workin’ hard and making a living. It’s really relaxed. We’re not into that glam rock. We’re just us,” explains Mark, whose vocals sound 
like a cross between Joe Cocker and Janis Joplin, or maybe Elvis. Basically, this kid has some serious pipes. Blow-your-mind guitar riffs, lovesick lyrics, punchy basslines and Bonam-inspired drumming all come together to produce The Lonely H sound. Mark even says “I tend to bleed after every song. That’s how you know I’m putting my heart into it.”
Their set was a grab bag of originals and covers. “We mostly do originals,” admits drummer Ben Eyestone. Already road-traveled for several weeks, The Lonely H continues their tour across the country. If you live within a 50-mile radius of one of their shows, get off your keester and go check them out! It’s like Woodstock without all of the whacked-out hippies dancing around naked. Thanks to Pabst for the free show and beer. (Photos by Matt Bennett).
Visit The Lonely H Myspace for more information; the band’s new CD, Concrete Class, is out now.
Fun Facts about The Lonely H:
Bassist, Johnny Whitman, is also a very talented painter.
The band’s moniker was created when the guys realized that all of the words that make questions (who, what, when, where, and how) all started with “W,” except how, the lonely “H.”
The foursome enjoys making vampire jokes while hiking, due to the recent fame of their Port Angeles hometown thanks to the Twilight film.
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