Fresh off signing on with Autumn Tone Records, Chicago blues rock outfit The Orwells made a splash at their Los Angeles debut tonight with a roughly 45-minute set for a house party in the Beverly Glen area. Despite their youth (The Orwells are made up of 4 seventeen year olds & an 18 year old), they displayed a raw, swaggered panache, some major chops, and a locked-in intensity you’d expect out of a band that’s been around the block a little longer. The wild-eyed lead singer commanded a strong presence, and, despite being considerably younger than every single person in the crowd, wasn’t even the slightest bit intimidated or apprehensive about getting up in some faces (in fact, he may’ve even slightly intimidated a few folks himself) or getting down on knees-and-elbows to embrace the patio bricks. All in all, this was quite the memorable backyard gathering and, despite the fairly rudimentary living room set up, The Orwells offered up a fierce display that made this band’s potential star power self-evident to all in attendance.
The ORWELLS are made up of five seventeen year olds from Chicago, Illinois. They play rock n roll music. Their names are Mario, Grant, Henry, Dominick and Matt. They write songs — scratch that, primitive teenage battle cries — about girls and America and being suspended from high school. Although one might categorize The Orwell’s distinct brand of the blues as garage or punk, they would be wrong. The Orwells sound comes from a deeper, different place. A place both long forgotten and also timeless. Their first LP, “Remember When” comes out this summer on Autumn Tone Records. Be the first on your block to snatch it up.
