The Brilliance of Sinclair
I was kind of late to the concert scene compared to most of my peers as a teen. I didn’t see my first show until I was 19. Since then, I’ve lost track of just how many concerts I’ve been to, but thankfully there has been that luxury of experiencing a lot more good shows than bad. With each of those headlining bands, there have been a plethora of opening acts I’ve been able to listen to as well. Some sang, some danced, but only a few performed. This past Wednesday, April 11th, another opening act was added to my list of artists seen. Wait, in this case let us say ‘experienced’. Prior to the Daughtry show at the Hard Rock Rocksino in Northfield, Ohio, a trio known simply as Sinclair took the stage. No one warned me just how impactful they would be.
Unassumingly stepping out from the curtain were a drummer, a keyboardist and one lead singer to warm us audience members up before Chris Daughtry and crew would rock out later on. Good luck. The house was packed and the audience didn’t seem like a lively one to kick things off. Even those around me in such great seats at the front were a little drab. Were these people there for a wake or a concert? Still, Sinclair didn’t come all this way to be intimidated. To clarify, Sinclair is the lead singer of the three-member band, and to be fair, the designation ‘lead singer’ is a bit of a misleading one. This woman doesn’t merely sing while her bandmates support her instrumentally. She does her due diligence on the guitar, and to say she’s proficient with it is a bit of an understatement.
By now, you’re probably asking what Sinclair’s music is like. One may assume rock n’ roll since she’s opening for Daughtry. Not a bad guess, but not a correct one. Her music is a wicked combination of pop mixed with R&B and a touch of electronica stirred in for this magnificent elixir that’s both intoxicating and adrenaline-inducing. Yeah, best of luck trying to keep your feet still when she and her band are on stage. Hell, have fun making an attempt to sit still when you’re listening to a studio recording.
A prime example of this shines through in the song ‘Shy Love’ which was released late last year. There is no denying its possession of this soulful 1970’s aura that is wonderfully present, yet not overbearing. That fleeting hint of funk surrounds itself with her silky resonance of notes on the higher end of the scale which she so masterfully hits. Still, the song, like Sinclair’s music in general, is not defined by a certain sound or a certain set of rules. The ultra-talented artist can seamlessly switch gears from the aforementioned style to the very different track ‘SMX’ with its explosive chorus and club-resonating flavor.
If there is a fault to be found in her music, it is the fact that there simply isn’t enough of it right now. iTunes offers a handful of EP’s and singles which are mere teases to the live performance she and her band deliver. On the bright side, time will likely yield more songs and a full album for the growing number of fans. As for that stagnant audience I was worried about at the top of the night…yeah, it was a more lively bunch by the time Sinclair sent that tsunami of positive vibes over them. One last thing, I mentioned ‘experience’ in the opening paragraph for a reason. Some acts you watch. Some acts you listen to. Sinclair is a bit of an experience.
