Night Moves at the Codfish Hollow Barn -- June 21.
Saturday, June 21, 7:30 p.m.
Codfish Hollow Barn, 533 288th Avenue, Maquoketa IA
Hitting the road in support of their forthcoming recording Double Life, scheduled for release this July, the Minnesota-based indie rockers of Night Moves headline a June 21 concert event at Maquoketa's Codfish Hollow Barn, the outfit's previous album Can You Ever Find Me hailed by Pass the Aux as "cosmic psychedelia tethered unmistakably to specific eras, but able to transcend its influences by virtue of its creators’ talents."
With the group, as stated at AllMusic.com, "founded by three high school friends with a shared interest in melding '70s rock with Americana, Minnesota's Night Moves emerged in 2010 with a sound that paired hooky indie pop with Nashville twang. Guitarist/lead vocalist John Pelant, bassist Mickey Alfano, and multi-instrumentalist Mark Ritsema had all played in various Twin Cities bands like the Battle Royale and Mouthful of Bees before coming together to form Night Moves. Rather than build their chops through frequent live performances, the bandmembers opted instead to practice and write diligently in their beginning phases. They carried this practice over into the recording of their debut album, Colored Emotions, which the band spent months meticulously piecing together before issuing it for free online in the summer of 2011. Responses to the album were great and the band was quickly signed to Domino Records, which issued a remixed, slightly reworked version of the album in October of 2012. Joined by drummer Josh Evert and auxiliary player Jared Isabella, the band toured extensively in support of the album. In March 2016, Night Moves returned with their second album, Pennied Days, which revealed a greater pop feel than the group's debut. Produced by Spoon drummer Jim Eno, the like-minded, ear candy Can You Really Find Me followed in 2019."
AllMusic.com also stated that Can You Really Find Me "delivers another meticulously crafted set of songs that also feel lived in and earnest. While the lyrics are steeped in Midwest longing and open-road stargazing, there is a distinct Cali-pop vibe to the Killers-esque 'Mexico' and 'Strands Align,' two of the 10-track set's earliest and strongest offerings. While vocalist John Pelant and bassist Micky Alfano's compositions are unabashedly steeped in the 1970s – this is a band named after a Bob Seger song – that golden patina is accented by enough modern flourishes that the proceedings never feel overtly retro, despite Pelant's Stevie Nicks-meets-Jeff Lynne vocalizing. It's a cool wash of shimmering dream pop, soulful, electronics-laced indie rock, and windows-down Americana that somehow manages to be both unassuming and grand."
Night Moves headlines their Maquoketa engagement on June 21 with additional sets by Anthony Worden & the Illiterati and Shady Cove, admission to the 8 p.m. concert event is $30, and more information and tickets are available by visiting CodfishHollowBarnstormers.com.
