Pop band Penelope Road is known for its funk, rock and soul feel, taking much of its inspiration from 70s music. Being Atlanta-based, they got their name from the street that they lived on, and are now exploring the rest of the US on their Summer Tour.
The opener for the night was Tom Hamilton and his band. A show with exhilarating guitar solos, mixed with keys and drumming, instantly brought the energy. Fans were sure to match the energy with cheers, dancing and clapping. It was the perfect performance to get the crowd going before Penelope Road took the stage.
Penelope Road initially made a name for themselves through their covers on TikTok. After growing on social media, they began producing original music, leading to their first self-titled EP in May 2024. They have since then released two singles and have a few more in the works.
The band set out on their summer tour this year and played their first show in Dallas this past Friday at Trees, Deep Ellum. With the architecture of the venue decorated to resemble trees and a carpeted stage, the venue had a homey feel to it. The band completed this as they interacted with the crowd, deepening the fan-to-artist connection.
“We’re happy to be here. It was a long drive…so we sacrificed a lot for you guys,” lead vocalist and pianist Charles Eastman joked. They spoke about their first time being in Dallas, but compared the similarities to their hometown Atlanta, telling the crowd, “we found ourselves at home, man.”
After playing a couple of originals, a distinct bass solo introduced their next song. They took on the song “One of These Nights,” putting a jazzy and soulful twist on the original country-rock song by the Eagles. If you were not already a fan of Penelope Road, this cover was sure to get you hooked.
They introduced an unreleased song that would be out July 18th, and then moved on to play one of their newest singles, “Flowers (Carry Me Home),” a crowd favorite. Shortly after, they played another unreleased song and then moved on to a well-known cover, “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.” This got the crowd’s energy so high that by their next song, “Mercy,” the audience was screaming half of the lyrics. While the band told fans that this was their last song, the crowd knew better. After a few shouts of “encore,” the members came back on stage to play a couple more songs.
“Out Tonight” was the last song they played, and the perfect choice to end the night. Hands were in the air, and the band was jumping across the stage. At this moment, nobody was ready for the show to be over. Thankfully, the night did not end there. The band barely waited a few minutes before they hopped over to the merch booth to sign T-shirts and take photos with fans. As the line got longer and longer, it did not stop the band from saying hi to every fan. Ultimately, up-and-coming artists like Penelope Road are striving to connect with their fans, which is what truly uplifts the music industry.
I am a Dallas-based photographer who has an appreciation for both the arts and music! Some of my favorite gigs have been Cage The Elephant, Wallows, and Briston Maroney. I am currently studying Graphic Design in New York at Pratt, and hope to work in the music industry through both design and photography.
