The boys from Model Stranger once again blew me away Saturday night in Schaumberg, IL. Whenever I see these guys I leave thinking “they are the real deal.” If there’s an equation to playing in a rock band, these guys have figured it out. They’ve got the image, they’ve got the sound and, most importantly, they’ve got the talent. Front man Stephen Francis is a treat to watch both sing and play the guitar, Kevin James, the bass man, takes up more on stage real estate than any other member, constantly moving, hopping up by the drums, getting face time with Stephen and Vincent Joseph is as animated as they come on the skins, he mouths damn near every word/note while keeping perfect time. An excellent guitarist and tight rhythm section, can you ask for more? Asides from original tunes (Dreams and Bones, their debut LP, is great, 9 concise tracks, no filler) we got a taste of a few covers. Most notably a smoking version of The Beatles birthday classic “Today is Your Birthday” (played for a friend of the band), the White Stripes hit “Seven Nation Army” (all the guys are into the White Stripes documentary Under Great White Northern Lights, pretty cool) and Jimi Hendrix “Manic Depression.”
Model Stranger are worth your time. Grab their LP from one of the links below and check them out on the road when you get a chance. They’re in Burlington, IA this weekend and then will be back in Chicago come July 2nd for a show at the Taste of Chicago. There are other dates on the horizon, check their site for more info.
Model Stranger links:
