It is a lovely Friday evening in Chicago as the sun slowly retreats into the western sky, images of its elegance reflecting off the skyscrapers and water of the nearby lake and river. It is the type of evening made for relaxing and wastin’ time, much like Otis Redding sang about nearly 60 years ago. Sadly, Redding tragically died just three days after recording “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay.” On this evening, though, echoes of his legacy can still be heard from the Salt Shed, the former Morton Salt facility turned concert venue that sits just a short jaunt up the north branch of the Chicago River from the downtown area.
The echoes of Redding that are reverberating across the beautiful night sky come from Josh and Sam Teskey, two Australians better known musically as The Teskey Brothers. They have returned to Chicago just over six months after selling out the smaller Riviera Theatre. They may need to return even sooner as the crowds just keep getting bigger, this time selling out the larger Shed for a crowd desperate to hear the sweet soul sounds that pulsate from each of the brothers’ three studio albums, two live albums and latest EP, The Circle Session. No one could have left disappointed.
Embracing the similarities to Redding, The Teskey Brothers kicked off the evening with a cover of “Try a Little Tenderness,” the song Redding famously recorded in 1966. Josh would have done Redding proud, leaving his vocal cupboard bare by pouring his entire soul into the climatic and spine-tingling ending of the song. It was an exciting harbinger of the night ahead, a clear signal that the brothers had no intention of leaving the crowd unsatiated.
Over the course of the ensuing ninety minutes, The Teskey Brothers wound their way through a variety of their songs that have rightfully earned them widespread acclaim, including some of their biggest hits such as “Forever You and Me,” “So Caught Up,” and “Crying Shame.” Three standout songs from the evening all came from the brothers’ stellar 2023 release, The Winding Way, beginning with “Carry Me Home,” which Josh described as one of their “campfire songs.” The brothers then brought out Georgie Fuller from The Heavy Heavy to perform a gripping duet of “Blind Without You.” The main set ended with an absolute riveting “What Will Be,” the song that also closes the album itself.
Before closing out the encore with “Hold Me” from Run Home Slow, the brothers shared their mutual love of each other, with Josh introducing Sam as someone who “doesn’t really play the guitar, he sings the guitar.” Sam countered that Josh “doesn’t really sing… he goes straight through your ears and straight down to your heart.” Truer words could not have been spoken. Sam’s work on the guitar is beautiful, each note perfectly capturing the emotional essence of the song and expertly weaving with Josh’s vocals to create a sound that tugs, pulls, and ultimately warms the heart.
The hearts of the Chicago crowd were certainly warmed after the lights went down on The Teskey Brothers’ set.
They will continue their tour North America through June before heading across the Atlantic for various stops throughout Europe. For more information on upcoming dates, as well as their latest release, The Winding Way, check out the band’s website.
All images: © Derek Smith / High Voltage Concert Photography for American Blues Scene
