“No strangers to having a wild time” is how Kendall Street Company first described themselves to me. The description seemed fitting given the tidbit I already knew about them: the band is crisscrossing Virginia four times over the month of February for a 20+ show tour. Every Tuesday through Saturday in February, they’re playing in a city different from the night before. It’s the Kendall Street is for Lovers Tour, and it sounds like nothing short of a “wild time.”
Kendall Street Company is Louis Smith [Rhythm Guitar/Lead Vox], Brian Roy [Bass], Ryan Wood [Drums], Ben Laderberg [Lead Guitar], and Jake Vanaman [Saxophone/Keys]. Louis and Ben are from Virginia Beach. Brian, Ryan, and Jake are from Northern Virginia. The five met at the University of Virginia, where they graduated between 2015 and 2020. They each have connections to the cities on their tour, and the band has played in all of them over the years. The outfit draws its name from late-night bonfires at the Kendall Street Beach in Virginia Beach, and the good company who fueled the flames, the jams, and the conversation.
The band, which is self-described as a “genre-fluid, eclectic rock ensemble,” falls in broadly the same category as the popular jam bands Umphrey’s McGee and Widespread Panic. Their musical talents are immense, but the crowd participation, off-the-cuff comedic bits, haphazard choreography, musical improvisation, and surprise musical guests make shows a particularly unique experience. Concert-goers are clearly fans, as their popularity has brought them to a litany of major festivals and allowed them to share stages with some of the industry’s hottest jam bands. They’ve been hitting the tour circuits heavily, performing an impressive amount of shows across the US, hitting California, Colorado, Texas, NYC, Atlanta, Nashville, NC, SC, Boston, Vermont, and more.
While on tour, they’d often be in the car for 5 or more hours per day and away from home for weeks on end. Having seen so much of the country, the group found a further love for the ol’ Commonwealth they call home. They say that crisscrossing Virginia is “easy peasy” compared to their recent touring, especially when they get to visit some of their first venues and sometimes sleep in their own homes.
Nonetheless, the itinerary is impressive. Every Tuesday in Blacksburg, every Wednesday in Harrisonburg, every Thursday in Charlottesville, every Friday in the 757, and every Saturday in Richmond. For four weeks straight!
The band expects a number of fans to come out for more than one night. They said “Every show is different. We never play the same show. It’s always varied. We improvise, we laugh, and we cry. We work hard to make sure each show is a unique experience. We vary the setlist each night with hundreds of songs to choose from.”
The cherry on top of all of it is that the band is dropping a love song for the occasion as well. “Lost Together” debuts on February 10th.
Here’s where you can catch Kendall Street Company for the Kendall Street is for Lovers Tour:
Norfolk, VA @ Chicho’s Backstage
February 03, 2023 – 08:00 PM EST
February 17, 2023 – 08:00 PM EST
Virginia Beach, VA @ the Bunker
February 10, 2023 – 07:00 PM EST
February 24, 2023 – 07:00 PM EST
Blacksburg, VA @ the Milk Parlor
February 07, 2023 – 08:00 PM EST
February 14, 2023 – 08:00 PM EST
February 21, 2023 – 08:00 PM EST
February 28, 2023 – 08:00 PM EST
Harrisonburg, VA @ the Golden Pony
February 01, 2023 – 08:30 PM EST
February 08, 2023 – 08:30 PM EST
February 15, 2023 – 08:30 PM EST
February 22, 2023 – 08:30 PM EST
Charlottesville, VA @ the Southern
February 02, 2023 – 08:30 PM EST
February 09, 2023 – 08:30 PM EST
February 16, 2023 – 08:30 PM EST
February 23, 2023 – 08:30 PM EST
Richmond, VA @ the Camel
February 04, 2023 – 08:00 PM EST
February 11, 2023 – 08:00 PM EST
February 18, 2023 – 08:00 PM EST
Richmond, VA @ the Broadberry
February 25, 2023 – 07:00 PM EST
Follow along with the wild ride by following KSC on Instagram here.
