He’s My Brother She’s My Sister have a ball at Teragram Ballroom

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He's My Brother She's My Sister at the Teragram Ballroom (Photo by Michelle Shiers)
He's My Brother She's My Sister at the Teragram Ballroom (Photo by Michelle Shiers)

It always feels like a family reunion-meets-tent revival every time He’s My Brother She’s My Sister plays a show, and Saturday night at the Teragram Ballroom was no different. Fronted by siblings Robert and Rachel Kolar, HMBSMS meted out their eclectic blues-folk to an enthusiastic and adoring crowd.

The ensemble opened their set with “The Same Old Ground” and “Slow It Down” from their 2012 release “Nobody Dances In This Town.” Although HMBSMS haven’t performed in L.A. in a couple of years, it would appear they haven’t missed a single beat of their retro-infused rock – made even more unique by tap-dancing drummer Lauren Brown. Opening artists Jazz Mills and Stephanie Hunt joined HMBSMS on stage for “’Live in a Dream” and “Easy Days” — both new singles found on Bandcamp, where proceeds for the songs go to charities Musicians On A Mission and Earthworks.

Kera Armendariz of opening band Kera and The Lesbians also joined in to shake “Clacking Heels” and “Touch The Lightning.” Stand-up bassist Oliver Newell and lead/slide guitarist Aaron Robinson also added to the band’s folk-family feel and just to make the night even more endearingly twee, a birthday cake was brought out to the stage for Robert and all other birthday-celebrating audience members. HMBSMS closed the main set with “Tales That Tell” and then returned for an encore of “How’m I Gonna Get Back Home Tonight” from their 2010 self-titled EP.

Kera and The Lesbians proved charismatic as ever. Armendariz led a performance that burst and buzzed with power throughout their expressive and rambunctious indie-folk. There was a palpable energy about Armendariz as she hopped around stage, whipping her hair and flashing her infectious grin. This will have been the last of their shows in L.A. for the next couple months as they put finishing touches on the upcoming full-length.

Also supporting was the witty Austin songbird Jazz Mills, who has opened for Arcade Fire, Stevie Wonder and Fleet Foxes, to name a few. Mills was joined onstage by Stephanie Hunt and together they harmonized through songs both sweet and bittersweet but always dulcet with hints ’60s soul and folk country. HMBSMS’s Rachel Kolar also joined the women onstage for a brief moment adding in a third harmony and baiting the crowd for the show to come.

Photos by Michelle Shiers