FTE inside Stage welcomes Chamomile and Whiskey on August 27th at 7:30 for a free show!
Band Bio:
The band started playing bigger venues around the nearby city of Charlottesville and
eventually landed a record deal with a small, local indie label called County Line Records. In
2012, they put out a four-song debut EP titled The Barn Sessions while continuing to focus on
touring. The following year, they released their first full-length album, Wandering Boots. Over
the years, they added some members -- Marsh Mahon on bass, drummer Stuart Gunter, lead
guitarist Drew Kimball, and banjo player/supporting vocalist Ryan Lavin (commonly referred to
as just Lavin). They’ve toured nationally and played along giant acts at notable festivals like
Floyd Fest and Festy. And in the beginning of 2016, they started working with producer Rob
Evans on their second studio album, Sweet Afton.
Chamomile and Whiskey make connections between people -- they did it with their
name, and they’re doing it with their new album, Sweet Afton. Lavin, who was raised in Galway,
Ireland, used to smoke Sweet Aftons, the cheap, unfiltered, and now defunct brand of Irish
cigarettes. Coincidentally, fiddle player Marie grew up on Nelson County’s well-known Afton
Mountain, which also happened to be the backdrop for many of the songs from the record.
Between the bluegrass fiddle melodies and traditional Irish rhythms, it’s easy to hear both of
these childhood connections and inspirations in Sweet Afton.
Fittingly enough, the record begins with an ode to their roots, “Nelson County”. The
band loaded up a cooler of beer, invited a group their favorite local musicians, and all gathered
around just a couple of mics to give the track an intimate, live recording feel. The album also
features the first studio recording of “Good As It Could Be”, one of the band’s most notable
songs and a fan favorite. “Lavin wrote it years ago and it’s become our ‘party anthem’ at shows.
It’s got a good energy to it, it kind of personifies who we are as a band,” says lead singer and
guitar player Koda. But the band isn’t afraid to dig deeper -- Koda wrote the record’s first single,
“Gone”, after the passing of his father, who was one of his biggest musical influences growing
up. The emotional storytelling and sentimentality of the song is coupled with the perfect amount
of pedal steel, which is one of the many instruments you can hear on the album; others include
flute, cello, and a tin whistle.
In the past, the band has been dubbed “mountainous folk rock”, but their combination
of complex rhythmic patterns, varied influence of cultural music, and multi-utilization of
instruments makes them unique, yet relatable, to a number of different genres. But beyond the
skill that lies within each player of Chamomile and Whiskey is the band’s ultimate goal: to
genuinely engage and have fun with the audience. “We have some serious material -- some
songs are lighthearted, some are serious and even sad. But at the end of the day, we really try to
have a good time. We’re a very energetic band and any time we have a show, we want it to be a
party.” Whether you’re listening to Chamomile and Whiskey live or tapping your foot along at
home, Sweet Afton is the unprecedented masterpiece where tradition and innovation meet.
You may also like the following events from From the Earth Brewing Company:
Also check out other
Music events in Roswell,
Entertainment events in Roswell,
Festivals in Roswell.
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