Southern indie rock band Winyah live for hard work, brotherly love, and above all, a constant pursuit of presence, all of which were on display at their recent home-state performance.

Stream: “Drawing a Blank” – Winyah

The title of Winyah’s upcoming second studio album, Right Here, Right Now, sums up the band’s entire philosophy.

Lead singer and guitarist Thomas Rowland elaborates, “The past is gone and it doesn’t matter. We’ve learned from it, but everything has led to right here. The future is going to be there, and none of us have any control over it, so really all that we can focus on is being our best in the present moment.”

To Rowland, music serves as a perfect vessel for pursuing that presence. His mind goes completely blank the moment he steps on stage. To share that sense of clarity with their audience, all five members give their “blood, sweat, and tears,” according to Rowland, hoping to help fans leave their troubles at the door and live freely, even if only for a few hours.

The band’s recent experience attending a stellar Tame Impala concert reinvigorated this desire. Rowland says the only reasonable reaction to a show of its caliber is a deep exhale and a perplexed, “What the f*** just happened?” His eyes grow a little wider as he digs deeper, wanting nothing more than to chase that feeling for himself and share it with Winyah fans. Rowland, alongside guitarist Luke Gordon and bassist Stephen Russell, reiterates the importance of the broad idea of “the chase.”

Although they view comparing themselves to other musicians as a negative and draining practice, they still cite acts like Geese, The Strokes, and Tame Impala as artists they are “chasing” in a way. In that sense, they are chasing the level of artistry they see in those performers, taking inspiration from them rather than envying them.

That chase seems to capture a multitude of ambitions – larger productions, more elaborate shows, more releases, and above all, a stronger connection with their fan base.

Much of that drive comes from the unique dynamic between the members of Winyah. Rowland says their close bonds and varied personalities constantly push them to work harder. He specifically notes that the band’s oldest members, Luke Gordon and Stephen Russell, are particularly influential within the group.

Gordon’s 15 years as a professional surfer have given him an intense competitiveness and focus that help keep the rest of the band in check. Russell, on the other hand, has a background in computer science, providing a level of financial insight and online advertising ability that typically requires a professional label. Rowland adds that their status as the band’s oldest members is part of what makes Gordon and Russell such strong leaders. He admits to being a less analytical thinker, trusting his intuition more often than not, or as he puts it, being more of a “vibes guy.” Despite their differences in approach, Rowland says all five members agree wholeheartedly on one thing: “We believe in what we are and what we will be, and we believe we have what it takes to get there.”

Winyah did everything they could to prove that during a show at The Senate in Columbia, South Carolina, just a few hours’ drive from Winyah Bay, the body of water they grew up beside and that gave the band its name.

Beyond their already intense aspiration to open audiences’ eyes and force them to live in the moment for a few hours, the members of Winyah have an even stronger motivation to blow away their South Carolinian fans. Rowland, Gordon, and Russell say home crowds tend to be less rowdy than fans elsewhere. They collectively attribute that lack of excitement to the area’s more passive beach culture. All three say that the people they grew up with often do not understand what they are pursuing, with Winyah’s chase of presence and growth conflicting with their home’s atmosphere of laid-back relaxation.

Russell approaches this disconnect with optimism, saying, “The love is there. It’s just a different culture. Growing up in a beach town in South Carolina is a lot different than growing up in a city. The love is definitely there at home. When we play at home, it’s like a pat on the back or a hug. People come out and support whether they get it or not. They’re still there, and they want to see us succeed, so it feels good.”

Despite all the love and support, Russell and the rest of the band still agree that the urge to prove themselves and their legitimacy is far stronger at home. As Rowland confidently proclaims, “I know we’re going to be as big as Hootie and the Blowfish, and then this person might get it. That’s the chase. Not that that really matters. I don’t think any of us are in it for that, but it’s motivation for sure.”

These words set the stage for Winyah’s performance at The Senate on August 21, closing out a co-headlining show with Penelope Road.

Both acts and their opener, Tobacco Road, brought relentless love and eagerness to an otherwise ordinary late-summer Friday in Columbia. Tobacco Road set the tone out of the gate, sauntering onto the stage with an established confidence and swagger. Lead singer Annabel Dwyer stole the show early with her infectious joy and effortless Southern charm. Their set was bright, upbeat, and warm, and Tobacco Road came off impressively composed and comfortable.

Penelope Road followed, keeping the night’s energy high. Max Moore, Charles Eastman, and Koan Roy-Mieghoo took turns flexing their silky-smooth vocal talent. The band performed with a sense of ease and gentleness, with even the most upbeat, electric tracks in their discography carrying a certain softness. The band ended their set with an impassioned cover of “Man I Need” by Olivia Dean. The performance captured the essence of the night perfectly: an abandonment of all pretenses and detachment in favor of a complete embrace of what it means to be alive. As the crowd echoed, “talk to me, talk to me,” Penelope Road more than delivered, showing rather than telling what it looks like to let go.

Even if the venue had not been standing room only, the entire audience still would have been on their feet by the time Winyah made their way to the stage, and the five-piece did not disappoint.

They took the crowd’s excited energy and ran with it, leaving everything they had on display in the process. Winyah made the night theirs, losing themselves in a storm of emotions. Rowland’s lyrics all revolved around the idea of falling just short of his desires. Whether expressing frustration with common small talk in the night’s newest single, “Drawing A Blank,” or reckoning with the guilt of past decisions in “Lay Me Down,” Rowland seemed to be reaching for something just beyond his grasp.

And yet, as Rowland threw his head back and stretched his hands out wide, serenading a crowd of adoring South Carolinians, it seemed everything he was looking for was already Right Here, Right Now.

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Stream: “Drawing a Blank” – Winyah

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