Racing Mount Pleasant @ The Sinclair 1/27
Photography by Kat Harmon
Review by Camille Morocco
On Jan. 27, a Tuesday night with feet of snow covering the ground, a sold-out audience braved sub-freezing temperatures to watch Racing Mount Pleasant perform at The Sinclair in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The show, originally scheduled for Jan. 25, was rescheduled due to Massachusetts’ nor’easter and marked one of the last performances of the band’s 11-stop January 2026 headline tour.
Racing Mount Pleasant is composed of members Sam DuBose, Callum Roberts, Connor Hoyt, Casey Cheatham, Samuel Uribe Botero, Kaysen Chown, and Tyler Thenstedt. The seven met while attending the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and, according to The Georgetown Independent, they began by creating music under the name Kingfisher, releasing their first album, “Grip Your Fist, I’m Heaven Bound,” in 2022.
Their newest release, a self-titled sophomore album, was issued under the band’s new name, Racing Mount Pleasant, on Aug. 15, 2025. The Georgetown Independent reports that the album focuses on exploring the idea that “the most beautiful and painful things in life are often the memories we cannot escape,” and that it “is a culmination of art rock, folk, and chamber music, forming a symphony of memory and heartbreak across thirteen tracks.”
With Sam DuBose on lead vocals, Racing Mount Pleasant composes a sweeping arrangement of sound, with instruments like violin, saxophone, and trumpet. The Georgetown Independent writes that Racing Mount Pleasant at times produces “saccharine folk songs…with sparse instrumentation and sentimental lyrics,” and at other times includes “a climax of angry guitars, horns, and strings,” along with “silky smooth waltzes with soft vocals gliding on pillows of horns.” Undoubtedly, Racing Mount Pleasant commands the audience’s attention with their coalescence between poignant lyricism and bold, unique instrumentals.
After the opener, Charlie Martin, finished his set, Racing Mount Pleasant took the stage just after 9 p.m. and began with one of the band’s new, untitled songs. The set continued with songs from both their debut and sophomore albums, along with a couple of new pieces. With fans bobbing their heads the whole time, the set continued for just over an hour, as the band took the audience on a journey filled with emotions like despair and longing, with Dubose’s voice often exaggerated and wavering as he delivered anguished lyrics. Though the set was certainly groovy in its own right, with bold instrumental solos and impassioned singing, the crowd was mellow, enamored, and soaking up every last word. Couples were hugging each other and swaying as their eyes were fixated on the stage.
I came into this experience rather blind, only really knowing one song, “Reichenbach Falls.” The song features poignant and poetic lyricism and a slow, acoustic sound, which I’ve always been a huge fan of. The set included a lot of new sounds for me, and my favorite piece was “Annie,” from the band’s debut album. I love how slow, tender, and soft both the lyrics and instrumentation are.
One of the first things I wrote in my notes from the set is how similar the sound was to Black Country, New Road, which is reported as one of Racing Mount Pleasant’s influences. The vocals were articulated very melodramatically, and the intonation sounded quite British.
One thing I truly loved about the set was the use of woodwinds. I grew up playing alto saxophone, and was immediately so excited to see two saxophone players in the band’s lineup. Since I am generally a fan of singer/songwriter music, it’s also very rare that I see artists with such a breadth of musicality and instrumentals, and I really enjoyed the experience
Although I am a newer listener of Racing Mount Pleasant, this show really opened my eyes to the depth of the music the band creates. I really enjoyed how intimate the show felt, and how focused the audience was on the band.
In terms of expectations, I really did not know what to think walking into the show. I was expecting the band to have a folksy sound, which in part they had, but their implementation of woodwinds was super shocking and unique. I also rarely see a sax in a folk song, and I’m so glad I did.
To successfully combine moving lyricism with an array of unique instruments is certainly not an easy task, and Racing Mount Pleasant does it seamlessly. I hope that, as the band continues to develop their discography, I will continue to listen to their lyrics and attend their shows.
