The Red Clay Strays: Tiny Desk Concert

Ann Powers | January 17, 2025
The Red Clay Strays is a big band with a future that keeps expanding. In the past few years the Mobile, Ala.-born five-piece has rocketed from club gigs to major stages like Colorado's Red Rocks and Nashville's Ryman Auditorium on the strength of its joyful interplay and soaring Southern rock sound. It wasn't a given that the Strays could rein in the grandeur that its fanbase relishes to fit the modest Tiny Desk. But this easy rolling set shows what's made these longtime road dogs one of the fastest-rising ensembles in any genre right now: the ability to blend intimate and epic moments in a seamless and perfectly modulated performance.

Singer Brandon Coleman possesses serious magnetism and a unique, keening voice — looking eerily like Boyd Holbrook as Johnny Cash in the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, he shared stories of self-doubt and solace in a higher power while introducing favorites like "I'm Still Fine." But the Strays are a band, not just a set piece for a handsome frontman, and the interplay on chooglers like "Ramblin'" or ballads like "Wanna Be Loved" will have viewers returning to this set. It's just so fun to watch keyboardist Sevans Henderson trade riffs with bottleneck guitarist Zach Rishel, or track how drummer John Hall adjusts his mighty power to the Desk's confines. And the Strays keep things inventive, always. "Changed that one up completely — it was scary," guitarist and songwriter Drew Nix laughed after the band's swinging new take on its hit ballad "Wanna Be Loved." No need for fear — the Red Clay Strays continue to prove they're up to any challenge.

SET LIST
"Ramblin'"
"Wanna Be Loved"
"I'm Still Fine"
"God Does"
"Moments"

MUSICIANS
Brandon Coleman: lead vocals, guitar
Drew Nix: vocals, electric guitar, harmonica
Zach Rishel: electric guitar
Andy Bishop: bass
John Hall: drums
Sevans Henderson: keys

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Ashley Pointer
Director/Editor: Joshua Bryant
Audio Technical Director: Josh Newell
Host/Series Producer: Bobby Carter
Videographers: Joshua Bryant, Kara Frame, Maia Stern, Alanté Serene
Audio Engineer: Josephine Nyounai
Production Assistant: Elle Mannion
Photographer: Zayhra Rodriguez
Tiny Desk Copy Editor: Hazel Cills
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins

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