Charleston’s Little Stranger has become one of the biggest bands in the Southeast in a surprisingly low-key fashion.
Little Stranger, which plays two nights at The Windjammer on Isle of Palms on May 15 and 16, has exploded in popularity over the last couple of years. These days, each new Little Stranger song reliably gets around 10 million streams.
The band has played a slew of important festivals such as Lollapalooza, the Governor’s Ball, Hangout Fest and more.
These days it has the heft to carry two nights at The Windjammer, which means it will play for around 2,000 people if the shows sell out, which they almost certainly will.
But where are the regional/national headlines about a fast-rising young band, anchored by John Shields (guitar, vocals, keyboards) and Kevin Shields (lead vocals, melodica)? Where are the ecstatic notices on music sites or in music magazines?
There really aren’t any, which, in a way, reflects the band’s low-key sound. It’s a band that’s all about laid-back vibes and easy-rolling beats.
Kevin and John (who are not related), have crafted a sound that blends the skittering beats of hip-hop with a relentlessly sunny but somewhat scuzzy feel.
Its biggest songs are the loping reggae-rap gem “Coffee and a Joint,” the soothing-but-bonkers Latin-influenced tune “Kama Sumatra” and the smooth but loose-limbed new single “Love You When I’m Sad.” The style feels very, “Let’s goof around and make some silly songs,” even if it’s hard work to sound that easy.
It’s got the flow and silliness of G. Love and Special Sauce and the sincerity of Jack Johnson with better beats.
“I think our music makes people happy, and the live shows in particular,” said John Shields in a recent Charleston City Paper interview. “You get these people who come out looking for an escape from all of the harsh reality we’re dealing with right now.”
In fact, as one of the co-writers of “Coffee and a Joint,” John has been a bit surprised by a particularly fast-growing segment of Little Stranger’s fanbase.
“People bring their kids to the shows,” he said. “And they really seem to like it. I think that’s the biggest indicator of good music, because kids are pretty unbiased.”
“It’s pretty amazing for a band with songs about mushrooms and weed,” Kevin added. “Maybe their parents are telling them that a ‘joint’ is something in your elbow. Or maybe they just say, ‘It’s just a good song. Enjoy it.’ ”
There are plenty of bands that don’t track sales or pay attention to good reviews. Little Stranger is not one of those bands. As it has become more popular, the seemingly laid-back John Shields keeps a close eye on the streaming numbers.
“I’m pretty bad at checking those numbers incessantly,” he said. “But I think it’s because we’re two guys who never thought this would be reality, so it makes us so happy to see.”
And that’s a comment that reveals the level of hard work it’s taken Little Stranger to become successful. The songs are fun, but it doesn’t matter if no one hears them. Thus, Little Stranger is a hard-touring outfit in order to spread the word, and a live show that is meant to be BIG.
“The team went from me and Kevin and our tour manager to 10 people in a bus within a very short span of time,” John said with a laugh.
“We bring a front-of-house engineer, a lighting engineer, our own sound tech, and we’ve got two horn players with the band now, which was a big addition sonically,” Kevin added. “Being able to bring our own lights and be in control of the sound and the visuals means the audience is in good hands every night.”
That team will be out in force at Little Stranger’s Windjammer shows, which includes supporting sets from some close musical friends like Schwaze and Surfer Girl.
“It’s one of our favorite venues in the country,” John said. “You can’t beat having your feet in the sand. And with back-to-back nights, the goal is not to repeat any songs.”
IF YOU WANT TO GO: Doors open at 6 p.m., May 15 and 16, The Windjammer, 1008 Ocean Blvd., Isle of Palms. Tickets range from $35 to $134 for each night. thewindjammer.com
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