For The Red Clay Strays, buzz + hype are well deserved

Was it deserved buzz or overhype about The Red Clay Strays? After all, the band sold out the Boston venue (holding about 3,500) weeks ago just after putting out their first major label disc. Ask around, and people who are keen on the type of music the band plays – somewhere between Southern Rock, country, religious/spiritual and Americana – all know who they are.

Once again, Mobile, Ala.'s best showed again and again that they're contenders, not pretenders.

Make no mistake about it that their recent release, "Made by These Moments," has a lot to like about it, but the sextet was far better live.

It all started with lead singer Brandon Coleman. The tall and lean lead singer was not some rah rah, over the top, self-indulged personality. Far from it, and that served he and the band well. Time and again – and there was no filler material at all during the 105-minute show, Coleman was all in. You felt he really did seek love on "Wanna Be Loved," one of their best songs.

Coleman was fully invested in putting the songs across, and you could feel the lived it approach to the material. There was an authenticity about his performance and delivery.

That was never so apparent as after finishing "No One Else Like Me." Coleman needed a few seconds to get ready for the next song, out of breath and winded with sweat running down his face, not because he was out of shape. More like he had invested so much himself in the song that he was spent (for the moment anyway).

That commitment would later include a two-song religious-themed stint of "Will the Lord Remember Me" and "God Does" as the first two encore songs. This was a spare part of the set with Coleman playing solo for a stretch, putting his spiritual emotions and needs out there.

While the beauty of The Red Clay Strays may start with Coleman, that goes with the whole band as well. Drew Nix and Zach Rishel supplied the twin guitar attack, a trademark of Southern rock with both supplying lead guitar riffs.

Nix also had a chance to take on lead vocals on about the most traditional country song of the night, "Between the Lines." He may not be as powerful a singer as Coleman, but Nix more than held his own.

Drummer John Hall and bassist Andrew Bishop formed a sharp rhythm section with Hall especially animated in his roll.

Make no mistake about it. The Red Clay Strays are well deserving of all the hype and buzz that's been heaped upon them.

Canadian band The Glorious Sons, who have done well north of the border (they have won two Junos, the Canadian Grammy, for best rock album), scored some points for themselves with a set that rocked. There was a bit of a welcome abandon to their playing. Being the last night of the tour, they had nothing to lose.

Lead vocalist Brett Emmons shared the intensity and engagement of Coleman although with a much harder sound. The Glorious Sons may not be cutting edge, but they were very good at what they do.