How does a group celebrate being a band for two years? The Apache Relay does it to a packed crowd at the Exit/In while opening for the legendary Philly-based G. Love & Special Sauce. Not too shabby for such a young band that got their name from a movie about fat camp. This was an epic show for these Nashville rockers, and they jumped to the occasion to deliver a high-octane set that built from the very beginning to the should-have-been encore. Their songs are mature and their riffs are locked down tighter than most two year old bands. The only real downfall was that they didn’t play longer than they were allowed.
This band is more than a tight sound and solid songs; they were also a blast to watch. For their opening number I saw two drummers, one sitting, and one pouncing on pre-positioned toms placed around the stage. I must have seen each member pull out three different instruments during this show – no wonder this band sounds huge on stage. Turning around and taking a look at the venue showed people on the upper deck standing and hanging off the edge during guitar solos and breakdowns. With the fluidity of the set and a demeanor that stands above their peers, The Apache Relay is at the front of the pack in this race. This band is a pastiche of the best things about our favorite genres of music, and I know I am not the only one who is planning on grabbing their album on April 12th. They held their own in this great venue and had a huge following. Oh yeah, and G. Love rocked too. – Beau Welsh