Leon Bridges @ Ryman Auditorium

Leon Bridges put on a beautiful performance at Ryman Auditorium on November 13, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee. With the wonderful Hermanos Gutiérrez warming us the stage, they left the audience in awe.

Hermanos Gutiérrez

Brothers Alejandro and Estevan Gutiérrez comprise instrumental duo Hermanos Gutiérrez. Using traditional guitars, lap steel, and organic percussion, their music evokes the feel of remote spaces and untamed places, from Ecuadorian beaches to the deserts of Mexico and the American Southwest.

They draw primary inspiration from the western soundtracks of Ennio Morricone and Stelvio Cipriani, vintage psychedelia, and classic Latin and South American music from 1950 through the ’70s. 8 Años, their debut album, appeared in 2017, evoking symbolic soundscapes haunted by the ghosts of outlaws. 2018’s El Camino de Mi Alma added an electrified flamenco tinge appended by surf reverb. 2019’s Hoy Como Ayer blended bolero, cumbia, and psychedelia. 2021’s Hijos del Sol was uptempo and very physical. 2022’s El Bueno y el Malo was recorded in Nashville with producer Dan Auerbach. He producer also helmed the brothers’ sessions on 2024’s Barrio Hustle EP and their sixth album Sonido Cósmico.

pulled from All Music

Leon Bridges

Leon Bridges’ tradition-rooted modern R&B is characterized by experiential songwriting and an uncommonly poised yet impassioned voice. Notably, the native Texan’s early strides quickly prompted comparisons to legends like Sam Cooke and Otis Redding. However, he soon came into his own with the remarkably refined Coming Home and Good Thing, both Top Ten albums that resulted in four Grammy nominations, including a win for Best Traditional R&B Performance (for “Bet Ain’t Worth the Hand,” from the latter).

Furthermore, Bridges expanded his audience through featured appearances on songs by artists ranging from Nick Waterhouse and Kacey Musgraves to Macklemore and Lecrae. Additionally, one-off collaborations such as these, along with two EPs recorded with psych synthesists Khruangbin and his Top 20 third album, Gold-Diggers Sound (2021), demonstrated that he is no mere throwback stylist. Finally, Bridges continued to draw inspiration from his childhood on the especially personalized Leon, solidifying his status as a dynamic and forward-thinking artist.

pulled from All Music