Hipster-rockers Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. have gotten plenty of buzz this year, especially recently having just released their first full-length. The duo will be hitting summer festivals like Lollapalooza later this summer, which makes right now the perfect time to check out some videos of their dynamic live act, especially this recent video from MonkeyEatsMonkey of the band covering Steve Winwood’s ubiquitous classic rock radio hit “Higher Love.” Their version of the song is confident and ambitious, with the group sharing vocals and switching instruments onstage to make everything fit.
Despite the chaos, all of the vocal performances are rock-solid and the rim-heavy drum part is catchy and danceable, as the lively crowd proves beyond doubt. While the whole performance is pretty much amazing, Joshua Epstein’s saxophone solo is definitely a highlight, especially when bandmate Daniel Zott’s bass groove comes in. They create a jubilant, party atmosphere that looks unbelievably fun to be a part of. Watch the video below (via My Old Kentucky Blog).
Dale Jr. Jr. also recently made an appearance on Rolling Stone’s RS Live series, where they toned down the energy for a few songs in acoustic mode. That included their cover of The Beach Boys‘ treasured “God Only Knows,” first recorded for their Horse Power EP in 2010. In this performance the group does an outstanding job of capturing all the little quirks and production details of the original using only two acoustic guitars, which they pound on for percussion and even scratch the strings of for the famous rattle sound. Both the song and the quiet environment give the pair a chance to show off their vocal harmonies, which definitely give them that unmistakable Beach Boys flavor. Also notice that in both of these videos the band are dressed in nice suits rather than the NASCAR costumes they were once known for. These guys have real talent, they don’t need gimmicks. Check out the Beach Boys video below.
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