Sister Hazel, a staple of '90s southern rock and folk, is back and ready to rock The Music Farm in Columbia on Thursday, Oct. 16.
The Gainesville, Florida-based band recently released its live album “20 Stages,” a compilation of live recordings celebrating 20 years being in the rock and roll business, and the bandmates are excited to bring that same touring expertise to Columbia.
After all, their first show in South Carolina was in Soda City.
Pioneers of Southern college rock, Sister Hazel owes their roots to their college-town origin and to Hootie and the Blowfish for influencing their unique blend of acoustic and folk rock. However, according to Ken Block, lead singer of Sister Hazel, they've developed since their beginning.
“[Your] perspective on the world changes, you grow from your music,” Block said.
You may have heard of Sister Hazel from their hit songs “All For You” and “Champagne High,” both of which launched the group into prominence and serve as good examples of their sound.
“What’s really gratifying about all those one-hit songs is that they allowed us to make more music, as those songs just scratched the surface of so much more,” Block said.
In addition to their lyrical and sonical changes, many of the band members share the songwriting task now, as opposed to the beginning when many of the songs were largely written by Block.
“Each member brings a different piece to the puzzle,” Block said. “I’m lucky to be around such a great group of guys, as Sister Hazel is without a doubt a five-man band.”
After performing live for more than 20 years, the guys in Sister Hazel have learned what’s important to them. Block said they still hold on to big harmonies and powerful live shows as key features of their sound — all the better to connect with their fans.
“Whether you’re playing for four or 400 or even 4,000, you still put on the same show,” he said.