The Congress is bringing their signature brand of soulful, gritty, Southern rock & roll back to Cervantes’ Other Side for a hometown throw down on December 13, 2014. Displaying a Muscle Shoals-esque tightness organically evolving out of coast-to-coast headlining tours and impressive support slots including Tedeschi Trucks Band, Lake Street Dive, and most recently, Hard Working Americans, The Congress promises to enter Cervantes’ with an inspired prowess eager to bring the energy fostered on the road back to their Rocky Mountain home base. Also sharing the bill are Eddie Roberts’ [New Mastersounds] West Coast Sound playing a late night set with support from Denver’s own super-soul outfit, The Recovery Act.

Throughout 2014, The Congress has been on the road headlining tours from California to Virginia as well as support tours opening multiple nights for Tedeschi Trucks Band, 2 tours with Lake Street Dive, and they just got back from a west coast jaunt with American-rock supergroup, Hard Working Americans.  With their noses to the grindstone the past few years, the group has garnered a reputation for having a “driving 70s rock sound that is raw and rowdy” (Marquee Magazine) and has been referred to as “one of this generation’s great musical acts” (Florida Music Journal).

With no loss of momentum and utilizing limited time between tours, The Congress is hitting the studio for their first album as their current soulful, blues-inspired 4-piece lineup. “Our new incarnation was reached organically and gelled,” explains drummer Mark Levy. Vocalist/ bassist, Jonathan Meadows adds, “This is our best stuff yet.  This will be a confident, comfortable product that is truly representative of us as a band.” All 4 members contributed to the songwriting process and the group will be debuting some of their new studio material at Cervantes’ bringing their road-inspired, musical mastery back into one of their favorite rooms that they consider a family affair with a friendly vibe.

Founded by Scott Lane and Jonathan Meadows in Richmond, VA, The Congress has evolved into a 4-piece powerhouse that “mixes in elements of guitar-heavy, Southern rock-infused with vibrant vocals and a heaping helping of soul” (Westword). Beginning touring in 2010 with Denver native and conservatory-trained drummer, Mark Levy, the band added Chris Speasemaker on keyboards in August 2013 after being brought in the studio to round out the group for their critically-praised EP The Loft Tapes covering some of the most revered songs in the history of soul music. The final product and rejuvenated sound of The Congress is equal parts rock & roll, soul music, and outlaw country, yet still deeply rooted in emphasis on songwriting and instrumental mastery that give them the effortless feel of rock & roll that is neither nostalgic nor progressive, and rather occupies the space between vintage sounds and the hyperbolic cynicism of our post-modern world.