The Barlow – A Colorado Band Putting Their Own Mark on the Scene
The boys from Oklahoma may roll their joints all wrong, but the fellas of The Barlow are rocking the Colorado music scene exactly right! Based out of Denver’s northwest suburb of Arvada (Arvada? The last noteworthy thing to come out of there was some band called The Fray), these four guys have a mission that drives every gig, every performance, and clearly, their first two albums. That mission: to demonstrate exactly how essential their take on Country-Rock is to the entire genre. To brush them off as just another upstart trying to ride the coat-tails of an already established country genre, simply because they do not call Oklahoma or Texas home, is to demonstrate a profound lack of understanding for what the Red Dirt movement is all about: authenticity, experiences, humility, and stories that resonate because you relate to the characters in the songs (hell, maybe you even lived those stories). They also have just enough hard-edged, honky-tonkin’ Friday night energy to have some rowdy fun! What The Barlow brings to the table will spin you up, get you re-energized about this Country music subculture we all adore, as though you were just hearing Robert Earl Keen, Pat Green, Randy Rogers, Ragweed or Turnpike for the first time, falling excitedly in love all over again.
I had the fortunate opportunity to sit down with The Barlow quartet, Shea Boynton (Lead Vocals/Guitar/Oilfield Rough-Neck), Brad Johnson (Lead Guitar/Backup Vocals/Bartender), Troy Scoope (Bass/Technical Business Analyst) and Ben Richter (Drums/Harmony Vocals/Cable Tech Lineman), in early July prior to one of their multiple “give-back to the community” shows that month. This presented a terrific chance to get to know and understand exactly how this team approaches their craft. What I learned made me not only respect them even more as a band, but as individuals doing right by society. The guys share a collective commitment to the community that raised them, to the success of the band long term, and to the growing fan base encouraging them to chase ever-higher goals.
First and foremost, these gents are committed to ensuring their efforts are funneled back into supporting their hometown as best they can. Throughout July, The Barlow performed multiple shows gratis. The donations from these performances were all given to the families of two fallen heroes in Arvada, Officer Gordon Beesly and civilian John Hurley, who saved countless lives taking down an active shooter. The loss of these two heroes so close to home for The Barlow has provided them a timely opportunity to engage in that great give-back they are so intent on always achieving. Kudos to these guys for being so thankful and dedicated to the little town that built their roots.
As a band determined to be around for the long-term, they recognize that as with any endeavor early on, much sacrifice and reinvestment back into the project must be made. In that vein, the guys are committed to putting every bit of earnings back into the stability and growth of The Barlow label and brand. Outside of this group, each of them has their own private career, and consequently, they are fortunate enough to be able to use their profits from gigs, merch sales, streams and album sales to fuel The Barlow’s name and following in the music scene. From vehicle and trailer repairs, to equipment replacement, marketing, promotion, and travel expenses, all of the guys put those essentials first before they take home a single penny in salary.
At this point, if you haven’t found a reason to be impressed by (or at least a little more curious about) the band, you will once you understand how they approach every gig and performance. According to Shea, “We ensure the fan experience is the most memorable thing about us.” This makes every rehearsal, every load-in, every sound check and set list a top priority. Watching these four go about their business pre-show, taking the stage, interacting with the audience between songs, it’s clear they do everything with the purpose of getting their audiences dancing and singing along. Per Ben, “We’re just four guys making noise on stage. People can see that anywhere. So, it’s important for us to always be at our best, engaging with the fans, making new friends, appreciating them for wanting to spend their time with us.” And that’s a fact! These guys do not mail it in, they do not put on half-hearted shows. They thrive on shaking hands with the audience between sets and after the show. Consequently, the fan base is expanding rapidly as they continue to show up for one memorable night after another.
What we most care to know about, of course, is the music and the live performance, right? No review of The Barlow would be complete without emphasizing just how terrific those most important elements are with this band. On stage, The Barlow has a high-energy looseness and relaxed comfort about them; it lets you know they are enjoying every minute creating experiences, connections, and new friends. They are as comfortable in an extended, 6-minute jam-out of Chris Knight’s “Homesick Gypsy” as they are playing their 3:20 originals and new material. Nothing is out of this group’s range, from John Denver to ZZ Top, Merle, and even some Turnpike (The Barlow’s rendition of “Easton and Main” may be the best around!). The guys will tell you, their favorite original song that they have cut is “Ain’t Ever Comin’ Round.” Hands down, however, the tightest song they perform is “Shut it Down,” off their first album. With every note carried seamlessly by each subsequent beat, there is a coordination and synchronization the 50’s and 60’s doo-wop, Motown era would be proud of. One could not help but be awestruck by The Barlow drawing not one, but two, audience-led encore requests that night at Rockabillies Bar (an Arvada live music staple for the last 20 years)!
If we are allowed one disappointment (and honestly, we don’t consider it a disappointment so much as excited anticipation for the next time we get an opportunity to go see the guys live), it was not hearing their original tune “Churchill Downs” at the show. If you are at all a fan of Van Morrison’s lyrical creativity, encapsulated within a captivating musical arrangement, then “Churchill Downs” (from The Barlow’s self-titled first album) is where to start your musical journey with this band. But let’s be clear, there is not a second-rate song on either of their two albums (The Barlow - 2019; Horseshoe Lounge - 2021). The guys have plans to get back into the studio in October. Stay close to The Amp for news and fresh releases as they come out. For now, though, we will leave you with this: One can certainly hear a broad spectrum of influences in The Barlow’s music. There are the traditional sound expectations for a Red Dirt/Country Rock band; a little bit of Skynyrd, a little bit of Creedence. But overwhelmingly, the traditional mainstays of the Red Dirt genre are omni-present in The Barlow’s music. While it can be insulting for a band to hear exaltations of the sort “you sound exactly like (insert this-or-that group, such-and-such band),” let’s instead compliment them by saying: It is NOT out of the realm of possibilities to hear one of your favorite Red Dirt artists recording a tune by The Barlow in the near future. Yep, that’s what you get with these guys; all the makings of a terrific, up-and-coming, Texas Country band, just from little ol’ Arvada, Colorado instead of Austin.
Go get ‘em fellas!!