Written by: Geoff Tischman

The first time I saw the Grammy-nominated band The Record Company back in 2016, it was an unforgettable experience.

The band had just released their debut album Give It Back To You, and was opening for Robert Randolph & The Family Band at the Warehouse in Fairfield CT.  I hadn’t heard of them at all and this was one of those rare and glorious times that an opening band, who I hadn’t hear of until seeing them, came on stage and blew me away.  I love when that happens.

The Record Company is also special to me because they chose one of my photos from this show to be on the cover of Pollstar Magazine. It was my first cover for a rock band and it actually opened future doors that allowed me more access to getting photo passes to shoot bands so I love, so I’m eternally grateful to them for that!

After securing a photo pass to see The Record Company at the Bowery Ballroom, I got a call to photograph a morning event in NYC that required me to leave my house at 6:30am.  I was done with work by 10:30am but knew if I drove home to Westchester I would get in bed and never be able to motivate myself to drive back into the city (I’m old and very out of shape!).  Missing this show wasn’t an option, so I spent the whole day in the city waiting for the show – I parked right by the venue in the east village and spent the day wondering the streets of Soho and even caught a movie at the Angelika film center.

I got there before the doors opened and waited online with a small group of die hard fans, including someone who lives in CT and saw their show the night before in Cambridge, Mass.  Singer songwriter Jesse Ahern got the crowd in the mood for a great night.  When The Record Company got on, the band rocked the small, intimate, legendary room like nobody’s business.  They ripped through 17 songs, including many cuts off their debut album including “Hard Day Coming Down,” “Feels So Good, Rita Mae Young,” and “Turn me Loose and Off the Ground.”

Sounds from their latest record The 4th Album including “Patterns,” “Talk to Me” and “I Found Heaven in My Darkest Days,” all kept in step with the band’s bluesy roots sound they are known for. I also loved their covers of The Grateful Dead’s “Easy Wind” and their encore of John Lee Hooker’s rocker “Boom Boom” was the perfect end to a great evening.