XPNFest Recap: Our Griffins played an expressive set on the Marina Stage

The midday crowd was eased into day two of the XPoNential Music Festival with Our Griffins on the Marina Stage.  The locals’ set of atmospheric guitar rock started off a humid but cooler day Wiggins Park, drawing songs from its debut full-length Michael Boyd.  

The beautiful, building instrumentals from band members Travis Hobbie, Alex Luquet and John Kimock, along with front man DJ Brown’s hushed vocals, gave the songs an air of mystery and vulnerability.  It’s the juxtaposition of heavy guitar layers and Brown’s intimate delivery that draw you into the songs, and judging by set closer and new song “Laid Back,” a focus on collaboration between the musicians seems to be taking Our Griffins into the next level of rock band.  There were exploratory jam moments that would not have been found on Brown’s earlier releases, reaching the band’s expanding sound towards Bon Iver some of the more ambient My Morning Jacket recordings.  Check out photos and read the full setlist below.  Listen back to the full audio here (via the WXPN media player).

Setlist:

Blood On My Sleeves
Send My Brother Back
Not Here Entirely
Nodding In a Basement
Laid Down

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