Cadien Lake James whirls his head while landing each note to each riff on his semi-hollow guitar. His hair obscures his face and his rapid head swivels make him look like as if he’s defying physics. Pete Townsend’s windmill looks quaint in comparison.
Twin Peaks are first and foremost rock ’n’ rollers. But they’re also among the hardest working rock artists, having toured mostly non-stop in the past year since they released Down in Heaven in the spring of 2016 and have just announced they are releasing a new 7-inch single each month for the remainder of the year.
Their headline show for Foundation To Be Named Later’s sixth annual “Hot Stove, Cool Music” fundraiser benefit wasn’t too different from any other, except for the average age of the audience. The front row at most of their shows might be full of anyone between the ages of 15 and 30, but that night at Metro plenty of parents, buzzed on Budweiser, danced along to the young band’s fuzzy brand of washed-out garage rock.
Foundation To Be Named Later is the charitable foundation of Cubs President Theo Epstein and his brother Paul, whose mission is to support youth in Boston and Chicago.
Before Twin Peaks went out, the audience did endure a few hours of bonafide “dad-rock.” The opening performers — though talented and seasoned players — covered conventional classic rock songs that at times almost made the benefit feel like a family reunion in someone’s backyard (minus the free box wine and beer coolers).
Highlights from the set included the classics like “Making Breakfast” and “Stand in the Sand.” The set included a lot from Down in Heaven. Multi-instrumentalist Colin Croom shredded guitar on his song “Keep It Together,” whose playing on the organ helped refine the band’s vintage sound. Guitarist Clay Frankel sang his heart out on “Wanted You.”
Hot Stove, Cool Music ended as a successful night. It’s not every day when you see both parents and, in some cases, their kids get riled up for the same band. And for a good cause, too.