I live in Montrose, a tiny, one-traffic-light-town as northeast as you can get in the state of Pennsylvania. We have one fast food restaurant and have to drive 35 minutes to get to a Starbucks or a Wal-Mart. When I came to Penn State, I knew there were going to be a lot more opportunities and things to do than there were in little, old Montrose. What I totally underestimated was the number of awesome concerts happening constantly! This week I will feature another fantastic band I had the privilege to see at the HUB this weekend: Good Old War.
Good Old War hails from Bucks County, PA, comprised of members Keith Goodwin, Daniel Schwartz, and Tim Arnold. According to the band, the name “Good Old War” is simply a combination of the members last names: Goodwin, Scwartz, and Arnold. Keith and Tim previously were part of a band called “Days Away.” (Fun fact: during the concert, Goodwin revealed that he once introduced GOW by the old bands name. Oops.)
The trio got their start in 2008 after the bands they were in at the time went on hiatus. They recorded some tracks late one night at a friend’s studio and eventually debuted their first album, Only Way to Be Alone, in May 2008 in Los Angeles. Shortly after, they signed with Sargent House later that fall. Since then, GOW has released three full-length albums and a few singles, including my favorite song, “Calling Me Names.”
On iTunes, Good Old War is categorized under the “Singer/Songwriter” genre tag. I don’t really understand that, honestly. But at the same time, I have no idea how I would classify their style. Happy, upbeat, cheerful, deep, positive, reflective, meaningful and pleasant all come to mind, but none of those are genres. The more I listen to them, the more I enjoy it.
Good Old War performed at the HUB this past weekend as part of Late Night. I had heard GOW was excellent live, and I was not disappointed. They sounded just as good, if not better than their studio recordings, an attribute to their true musical abilities. Even though I didn’t know every song, I still enjoyed myself immensely because they performed so well. I most definitely suggest checking out this group. Listen to a few tracks and I can almost guarantee it will brighten your mood!
Good Old War Site: http://goodoldwar.com
Official YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/goodoldwarVEVO
“Calling Me Names”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfUYPKkB5Mc&list=UUlkDTDx450c2q8sAQ79d2EA&index=3
“Coney Island”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLNZc1tMuXE
“Amazing Eyes”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBCvwzTXDWY
“My Own Sinking Ship”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l13dbDlIhD0
I’ve been listening to them since 10th grade! I love this band! “Coney Island” and “Tell Me” are 2 of my favorite songs. Also, until now, had no idea why they called themselves Good Old War, that’s so cool that it’s a mash up of their names. Good choice!