THE BAND FEEL – Into The Sun (2025) EP

THE BAND FEEL is a Rock 4-piece band from St. Louis known for their dynamic sound that pays homage to the Classic Rock era while adding a modern twist. With influences ’70s rock, jam bands, hard rock, blues, etc, THE BAND FEEL has garnered attention for their high-energy performances and captivating songwriting.

Joining the wagon of current really good Classic Rock bands bringing back real rock n’ roll again, these young musicians will please fans from Rival Sons, Dirty Honey, Greta Van Fleet, to Led Zeppelin, Cream, The Black Crowes. The guys just released their second EP titled “Into The Sun” produced by Paul Moak (Ann Wilson), and you need to check out their last year self-titled EP too – melodic and rocking.

Comprised of vocalist Garrett Barcus, guitarist Tyler Armstrong, bassist Rodger Lenhardt, and drummer T.J. Steinwart, the midwestern band have quickly sprung up and out of St. Louis, already making a name for themselves on the road opening for the likes of Cheap Trick, 38 Special, Rival Sons, and John Waite.
No, it’s not 1973, and no, you’re not dreaming – although this music is a classic rock lover’s fever dream. THE BAND FEEL captures the spirit of a bygone era, while suggesting what may be possible and still left unsaid from that heady time. They possess the keen energy, magnetism, and showmanship of the great vintage era bands without devolving into predictable cliché. These guys provides a promising glimpse into the direction of emerging American rock.

These four men and the sound they make as well as their fashion sense definitely lend themselves to a time gone by. Although their inspiration comes from a more vast period than one decade, one can’t help to notice the vibe of the 1970’s that just oozes from every fiber of their being.
For the industry, nobody wants to hear 70’s and 80’s inspired rock n’ roll anymore, right? According to Barcus, “The answer to that question is false, with a big fat “F” on it. A lot of the shows we play are not 21 plus.” Regarding younger fans, “They’re out there, you’ll see them. The pendulum swings both ways. Genres of music from when they blow up, typically last throughout a decade, if not decades plural. I think rock n’ roll from the 60’s and 70’s lasted so long because the onset of the digital age didn’t come to fruition until the late 70’s or the 80’s. People are listening to classic rock&pop music and everything.”

The first thing that stands out is the great, versatile and truly stirring vocals of Garrett Barcus, who is also a very talented frontman. His colleague Tyler Armstrong proves that a rock band can get by wonderfully with just one guitarist, presenting the finest bluesy rock riffs on his six-string axe. Generally speaking, his guitar sound is fantastic; you couldn’t do better in this genre. Since the rhythm section, with Rodger Lenhardt (bass) and T.J. Steinwart (drums), is also thoroughly pleasing, there is absolutely nothing to criticise on a playing level.

The Band Feel also has a real hit in their repertoire: the multi-faceted “Goodbye Virginia“, with its classic, unobtrusive sing-along chorus, would cut a damn fine figure on any 70s sampler. You could also do a wonderful unplugged version of the song around any campfire in the world – and something like that always shows that you’re dealing with extremely good songwriting.
Another highlight is the rousing “B.C.“, in which Garrett delivers a world-class vocal performance that qualifies him for the biggest stages – but this applies (not only) in this song to the whole band: the guitar work and drumming are also of the highest caliber.

In a fair world, these enormously talented and in every respect authentic-seeming guys would be playing live in front of several thousand people very soon. Whether that will happen remains to be seen.
What is certain is that The Band Feel is one of the greatest discoveries of the current year, and they will earn a permanent place on your playlist for sure.
Highly Recommended

The Band Feel (2024)
01 – In The Garden
02 – Call It What You Will
03 – Goodbye Virginia
04 – B.C.
05 – A Song For Sam
06 – Poem 59

Into The Sun (2025)
01 – Icarus
02 – Fly Birdy, Fly
03 – Hands In My Pocket
04 – Brother
05 – Shoal Creek

Vocals – Garrett Barcus
Guitar – Tyler Armstrong
Bass – Rodger Lenhardt
Drums – T.J. Steinwart

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