The Kaleidoscope concert series at Druid City Music Hall featured an opening act from independent artist Hans Williams and a performance by folk rock group Richy Mitch and the Coal Miners on Tuesday.
Williams is an independent singer-songwriter who brings passionate vocals and strong guitar performances to the alternative indie-pop genre. He came onstage accompanied by a band that provided a powerful sound with subtle yet supportive background vocals, radiating positive energy.
Williams performed tracks such as “Checklist,” “All Is Well” and “Greywater.” He said that it was his first performance in Alabama as he finishes out his fall tour promoting his latest EP titled “More Than One Way Home.”
“It’s about a time in my life where I couldn’t lean into the people around me that I know love me,” Williams said about “All Is Well,” speaking on the emotion behind it. “This song is a reminder that if you have people like that, you should give into them and let them know what you’re going through if you can.”
The audience members gave more cheers and applause as the performance went on, and they got familiar with Williams’ variety, which features groovy and heavy beats but also leaves moments for slow, meaningful parts that highlight his vocals.
After finishing his song titled “Body on My Shoulders,” Williams exited the stage to take pictures with audience members. Fans then prepared for the main act and shuffled closer to get a better view of the stage.
Mitch Cutts, Nic Haugn and Jakob Ervin formed Richy Mitch and the Coal Miners in 2017 and since then have gained close to 17 million monthly listeners on Spotify.
The band plays songs discussing a variety of topics, like learning to follow your instinct, staying present in life even through difficult times, and reminiscing on relationships and moments that could have been.
Coming out in a black puffer jacket and playing electric guitar, Cutts played two songs with strong vocals, but the power really came from the instruments, causing fans to dance along. There were plenty of cheers right off the bat from the dense crowd, and energy was high as the band kicked off its performance.
“My name’s Richy and these are my best friends, thank you so much for having us out here, and Roll Tide!” Cutts said.
A Montana native, Cutts joked about going to Publix — which has no locations in his home state — and being dressed for more Northern weather. The audience interacted well and continued to to support as the band showcased impressive instrumental segments and displayed switchups from high- to low-tempo moments.
The band’s latest release, titled “October Moon,” got a lot of love from fans, as did its most listened-to track on Spotify, “Evergreen.”
“This song is years in the making and marks the beginning of a new era for our band,” RMCM posted about “October Moon” on the band’s Instagram.
Tuscaloosa was one of the first stops in the band’s October Moon Tour, which has sold out most of the featured venues and will carry on until November.
