Kind Hearted Strangers / The Mammoths

From the venue:

Event Description

Hailing from all corners of the country, Kind Hearted Strangers began in the foothills of Colorado - where an impromptu open mic performance by songwriter Marc Townes quickly evolved into something much bigger. With genre bending improvisations from lead guitarist Kevin Hinder and bassist/vocalist Ace Engfer, KHS has become a dynamic full band capable of bridging the gap between all out rock n’ roll and their harmony-driven acoustic roots. The addition of drummer Eggy Gorman has seen the band grow into a road-driven force, hungry for live music, delivering high-energy rock shows across the country.
The debut record “East // West” (2021) explores both the sonic & stylistic origins of the band while giving listeners a taste of the group’s diverse influences.

Out April 7th, 2023 - the band’s 2nd LP entitled “Now.here” features a collaboration with visual artist/painter Dylan Lynch. This immersive project found the band working in a shared Richmond, VA warehouse space for 5 days. With no prepared material, the artists intentionally put pressure on themselves to create and deliver a Live Concert & Art Exhibition at the end of the week. The resulting album contains brand new material that was recorded live with the same raw energy and passion KHS has been delivering across the country during their busiest year of touring to date.

Beginning in Austin, TX, in the heart of their middle school days, David Kapsner (lead vocals/guitar/piano), Michael Jekot (lead guitar/vocals), and Tyler Rush (bass/vocals) came together to transcend the barrier of blues-rock into funky psych-soul through their various music ventures. Bringing the audacious and wonderfully talented Tim Durand (drums/vocals) into the picture has recently solidified the band with a roaring sound and strength to complement their vibe. Dedication to their music has evolved The Mammoths from garage rock to sophisticated blues-funk, and constant experimentation has allowed each member of the group to always stay true to their roots. Jekot, self-described as playing in the “grunge-endrix” style, notes that Kapsner’s soul-vocals, Durand’s pure metal, and Tyler’s deep, groovy funk stand out in the realm of rock, drawing influence from all over to create a sound that is entirely new, yet curiously familiar.

“The Mammoths are an up-and-coming Austin band to watch fueled by their fiery unapologetic live shows reminiscent of a young Led Zeppelin. In meeting with these guys at AMF on their future plans, this band is clearly driven on playing hard and using the old school work ethic of making fans one sweaty show at a time,” said Alex Vallejo (Vallejo Music Group/Austin Music Foundation).