REVIEW: Winyah & Penelope Road with Frank Mastra: Live at Georgia Theatre - Athens
- Magali Rivera
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Two rising bands in the indie rock scene team up for a co-headlining show at one of Athens' favorite venues
Winyah kicked off their co-headlining tour with Penelope Road at the tail end of August, ending the run of shows in the Southeast with two nights in Athens, GA. The indie rock band from Pawleys Island, South Carolina has spent their summer playing everything from headline gigs to festival slots to opening sets for Mt. Joy on their most recent stadium tour. They have quickly grown a massive audience, and partnering with Atlanta’s very own Penelope Road to play the esteemed Georgia Theatre was truly a special sight to behold.
The first of two shows, August 28th, began with the utterly smooth dealings of Frank Mastra, a Nashville-based singer-songwriter. He came out solo to an already packed house, ripping his keyboard alongside the deliverance of the silkiest guttural vocals. His voice echoed throughout the venue, and commanded the audience boldly.
The crowd buzzed all through set change until the next band took to the stage with an infectious energy. Winyah's members include Thomas Rowland on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Stephen Russell on bass, Luke Gordon on lead guitar, Robert Buffington Jr. on keys, and Jake Riley on drums. The five of them played off one another perfectly, song after song, and only seemed to grow more excited and proud as time went on.
The band cruised through hits like “Feel It All Again” and “Spinning,” with Gordon shredding his guitar and Riley banging his drums. Luckily, the bass from Russell was cranked loudly in the mix, and against Buffington Jr.’s keys, the breezy vocals of Rowland took their spot front and center where they belonged. When the group got to “Lot To Learn,” the entire theatre joined in to croon out its bittersweet lyrics.
Rowland, from start to finish, wore his best grin, feeding off the enthusiasm of the fans. Winyah never forgot where they were playing, as they made it a point to tip their caps to the room filled with Bulldogs fans, who blossomed with delight at each acknowledgement. Back in March, the band played their biggest headline show yet at the Georgia Theatre, and throughout the night, they displayed quite clearly how chuffed they were to be back at the very same place months later.
Penelope Road followed and gave fans another superb set, showcasing all the experience they have gained in the past year of largely touring. The opening night of this co-headline Athens run was filled with soulfulness, beachy rock, and tasteful indie pop, and brought together a lovely gathering of listeners who wanted nothing more than to jump around and scream lyrics back at the bands.
While Penelope Road just announced their debut album Maybe in Time will be released on October 23rd, Winyah’s sophomore record Right Here, Right Now is dropping on September 18th. More than this, local fans will be glad to hear that the Pawleys Island five-piece will be back in Georgia soon to play Atlanta’s Terminal West on December 11th.
Article and photos by Magali Rivera. Please credit @magliriver or @art.seen.atl if reposting on social media.
