Six-piece country-rock band The Red Clay Strays came through Philadelphia on a Thursday night to play their new album Made by These Moments at The Fillmore. Fans came out early on October 3rd, decked out in their best cowboy hats and boots, ready for a good time as the XPN Artist To Watch played to its biggest Philly crowd yet. The show was kicked off by the Canadian-rock band, The Glorious Sons.
“I quite like it” (as overheard in the crowd) sums up the vibe on the packed floor pretty well during The Glorious Sons’ opening set. Mixing a couple hand hearts in with the general raised hands and jumping around, many fans on the floor were clearly familiar with the opening band already, singing along to their songs. The band made an impression on newbies, though: the people in the crowd hearing The Glorious Sons for the first time were intrigued enough to periodically ask their neighbors what the names of the songs were.
Glorious Sons | photo by Ellen C Miller
Just before The Red Clay Strays took the stage, Toby Keith’s “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue” came over the house speakers, which prompted a pre-set sing-a-long to get the audience properly prepped to match the band’s energy. While a bit more low-key than the openers, there is nothing low-key about lead singer Brandon Coleman’s powerful vocals or the exquisite sound coming from both guitarists Drew Nix and Zach Rishel.
The Red Clay Strays | photo by Ellen C Miller
While the band tends to be more stationary on stage, they counter that well with their balance of “one of the best voices you’ll ever hear” — Coleman, of course — blended smoothly with powerhouse guitar, harmonica, and keys. The set included largely songs from the 2024 album released in July, along with their fan-favorites like “Stone’s Throw” and “Devil in my Ear” (the latter introduced by Coleman as a song about mental health) and “I’m Still Fine.” They added some contrast to the set list by slowing things down a bit as they shifted into the four-song encore but made sure to end the night with their big hit “Wondering Why.”
After a few days off, The Red Clay Strays pick up tour this Thursday, October 10th, with a sold out date at The Fillmore in New Orleans, on their way to Austin City Limits. Check out their full tour schedule here, and see more photos and the setlist from Philly below.