Chills.
The other week when our team was in Filer, Idaho, for Gordy’s HWY 30 Fest, we had a special treat from Shane Smith. The frontman for Shane Smith & the Saints popped into the official Whiskey Riff afterparty and even got up on stage to sing a few tunes.
It was pure magic.
While all of the songs he performed were incredible, a standout for me was his cover of Kings of Leon’s “Cold Desert.” From their 2008 album Only By The Night, this song has been one of my playlist constants for years.
Shane Smith’s cover of the tune made me fall in love with the melancholy lyrics all over again.
He took his time delivering every word with intent and kept the strumming soft and sweet, ensuring that it did not overpower the lyrics at the start of the song. During the second verse, he kicked up the vocals a notch by belting out the rest of the lyrics.
The way he covers this sound, you’d think it was his had you not known it was originally cut by Kings of Leon. It makes you feel something.
Experiencing this up close and personal gave me full-body chills.
@whiskeyriff Acoustic covers all day. 🫡 #WhiskeyRiff #ShaneSmith #acousticcovers #hwy30musicfest ♬ original sound – Whiskey Riff
Of course, without the original, we wouldn’t have phenomenal covers to enjoy, so check out Kings of Leon’s version.