Most of us are traumatized by the notion of being in the buff in front of a large group of people. It’s even listed as one of the top 10 most common nightmares. Meanwhile, there are six dudes who aren’t as repulsed by this concept as the rest of us might be. Hailing from Boone, North Carolina, The Nude Party came together in the one place where great music is infamously born: the freshman dorms. Eventually, they made a habit out of partying and playing tunes in the nude (hence the name). As eighteen-year-olds at Appalachian State University, frontmen Patton Magee and Austin Brose connected with old buddies Connor Mikita and Alec Castillo, and stepbrothers Shaun Couture and Don Merrill to round out their sound in 2012. When they moved into a lake house the following summer, the rest was history.
John Lennon meets The Black Keys meets Jack White - this raunchy sextet brings just the youthful, vibrant sound your speakers have been craving in the sweltering summer heat. Their playful brashness reminds you of your friend’s garage band… except these guys actually have the sound to back it up. I saw The Nude Party open up for Arctic Monkeys a few weeks ago in Nashville, and they’re even better live. There was not a dull moment in their set - from sharing microphones and experimenting with loose harmonies all whilst running around the stage, The Nude Party really does bring the party (this time wearing clothes). So much so, that I almost forgot how excited I was to see Alex Turner.
The Beatles-esque choruses filled with “la la las” and rampant guitar solos prove that The Nude Party has the caliber to join the ranks amongst classic rock groups like The Kinks and The Animals. They closed their set with an obvious hit, “Chevrolet Van.” No song has made me want to drop everything, join a band, rent a van, and tour the country more than this one. Then I watched the music video - and the band I wanted to join was The Nude Party.
Their self-titled debut album, following their 2016 EP ‘Hot Tub,’ came out early July and features other standouts like “Records” and “Water on Mars.”
Other favorites from their EP include "Poor Boy Blues" and "I Wanna Be Your Man."
They’re heading out on tour this summer and have secured a coveted spot at ACL - check them out! This ragtag group of dudes sure knows how to rock and roll.