Sammy Rae & The Friends Bring The Good Life To Boston
the stage at Boston Landing’s newest venue, Roadrunner, just before Sammy Rae & The Friends hit the stage October 15, 2022 (photo courtesy Molly McCaul ‘23)
Words and Images by Molly McCaul ‘23
The line outside Roadrunner still wrapped down the street and around the corner on Saturday, October 15 a half hour after doors had opened. Throngs of Bostonians, mostly high school- and college-aged, stood patiently with friends in the unseasonably warm evening, waiting to get in to see Brooklyn-based Sammy Rae & The Friends, on tour to support their latest release, “If It All Goes South.” The band, who previously played two sold out nights at the Royale this past spring, saw their success explode this summer, and very nearly had sold out Roadrunner—a venue three times the size of the former.
Supporting Sammy Rae & The Friends was The Collection, a band from North Carolina who I was pleasantly surprised to find on the night’s lineup—their track “The Gown of Green” soundtracked my mid-2010s, but, as I discovered Saturday morning, the band has released two incredible full-length records since then. Complete with trumpet, trombone, and some of the highest energy I’ve seen from an opening act in a very long time, The Collection easily had fans new and old dancing and singing along in no time.
Just after 9 PM, all six members of The Friends, Sammy Rae herself, and Razaria Denae, who is joining the band for several dates as an ASL interpreter, immediately jumped into a rendition of “Follow Me Like The Moon,” released this past January. From the get-go, the energy and enthusiasm of the band (and the fans in attendance) was unmatched; whether roaring through sax solos or leading sing-along bridges, there was hardly a dull moment for the nearly two hours they were on stage.
The setlist was a healthy mix of old and new, featuring recent releases like “If It All Goes South” and “Whatever We Feel” alongside deep cuts like “The Box” and “Living Room Floor.” The band went even further back with their covers, incorporating Cher’s “Believe” and a solo rendition by Rae of The Eagles’ “Hotel California” into the set. Right around the time “Jackie Onassis” was performed, Rae took a moment to recognize the importance of queer joy. The speech was moving and validating, which took me by surprise as someone who’s been out for most of their adult life. The way in which Sammy Rae & The Friends went above and beyond to affirm concert-goers that they are whole, they are good, and that they are welcome in these spaces made the massive venue feel, for a little bit, like a home away from home. Very few artists are doing it like this group is.
When I first saw Sammy Rae & The Friends this past summer while on the festival circuit, the thing that struck me was how expressive the band is onstage; even when running, jumping, and kicking their way across stage, there’s a transparency in every Friend’s facial expression that just feels genuine. Moving in sync, riffing off of each other, belting, and pulling off intricate jazz licks is one thing—doing it while smiling and laughing is a whole different story.
As the night progressed (and the drinks were poured at any of Roadrunner’s countless bars), the whimsy on stage began rubbing off on audience members, who decidedly danced more than they did the traditional “head nod and foot tap” bit. Whether they were avid, lifelong fans of The Friends or just tagging along with a group of friends, it would have been difficult to find anyone not seeming to have the time of their life at the show. But, to be fair, with a bubble gun onstage and technicolor lighting, how could you not have fun?
Sammy Rae & The Friends just wrapped up the first leg of this United States tour, but will be back on the road at the end of October through November, with UK and Europe dates early next year. I, for one, will be in line for the each and every subsequent show the band plays in my vicinity (I highly recommend you do as well).
