The five indie-rockers brought their too-cool-for-school attitude back to Columbia, expertly toeing the line between irony and intensity throughout their set. Hembree, a Kansas City-born band, played at Rose Music Hall on Dec. 3 for the first time in five years.
Openers Brett Windler, a solo act, and local band Elephant Foot riled up the crowd before Hembree took the stage. Windler warmed up the hall with his acoustic guitar, while Elephant Foot gave an equally energetic taste of the indie rock that was to come.
By 9:15 p.m., the small venue resounded with electrifying guitar riffs and heavy drums, led by singer and guitarist Isaac Flynn, as the main act took the stage. Alex Ward and Garrett Childers traded guitar and bass, while Eric Davis and Alex Ward’s brother, Austin Ward, camped out behind their respective keys and drums.
The band was decked out in traditional indie uniform: Converse and graphic tees tucked into belted jeans and cuffed khakis. Davis wore a red die on a chain around his neck, and Austin sported a “Star Wars” tee.
The audience was an enthusiastic mix of 20-somethings and middle-aged Columbia residents celebrating the return of the musical Missouri natives.
“We play Kansas City quite a bit, we play St. Louis quite a bit, and we usually don’t have time to do anything in between,” Davis said after the show. “It was good to be back here.”
The band joked around with each other on stage, keeping a lighthearted and dynamic energy throughout the show. Flynn jokingly razzed the audience between songs, urging the crowd to dance and marveling at the attendees who ventured outside into the 30-degree weather. Alex even leaped onto an amp toward the end of the set, charging up the crowd.
The band played from their latest album, “It’s a Dream!,” which came out in February 2022. The music selection was spirited and easy to groove to. Flynn’s light, almost ethereal vocals floated above the synthy funk — though they sometimes had to compete with the loud instrumentals.
Childers closed the night, setting down his bass to take over lead vocals for a cover of New Radicals’ “You’ve Got the Music in You.”
Hembree is now based in Los Angeles, seeking immersion in the music scene there. As they continue on tour, Hembree looks forward to playing more and growing as a band.
“We want to just focus on music, and focus on our art … and make the best music we can possibly make,” Davis said. “We just hope we can do this more and more, bigger and bigger.”
Edited by Egan Ward | eward@themaneater.comCopy edited by Gillian Fast and Emily Rutledge