Unwed Sailor made their return to Smoke & Barrel in Fayetteville, AR for the second time these year, see their May visit here. This time around they had two local openers, Judason Void and Olympics on the bill. Hailing from Fayetteville, AR Judson Void is described as a shoegaze indie rock band, however for this show it was just singer Skylar Johnson on acoustic guitar and kick drum. Without the full band, Judason Void was a very mellow, relaxing set to listen to. Most of the crowd was sitting and drinking while Skylar’s music soothed everyone. Judging by past performances online, this version of Judason Void has been playing around Arkansas and the surrounding states for some time. Regardless of the version you see live, it is guaranteed you will enjoy the music Judason Void presents.

The next local band was Olympics who incorporate indie, synth, punk, and shoegaze into their music and the mixture will make wish it was a warm summer day. The best comparison for Olympics would be somewhere around The Cure and Joy Division, but they definitely put their own twist on songs especially when they incorporate punk leanings. You won’t catch people moshing, but their are moments when the lead singer Kevin Lujano brings out a little gruff in his voice. For a town that isn’t known to have a huge local scene, the bands that do play around the area are top notch. From Olympics to Judason Void to Modeling, Fayetteville isn’t an area to be overlooked.

It hasn’t been that long since Unwed Sailor came to Fayetteville, only 6 months, but there is nothing wrong with seeing them again so soon. This time around the lights were dimmed which gave a much more darker atmospheric mood which fit for songs off Heavy Age. However, the songs played from Mute The Charm still shined for me during the set. The album was released this year, and was my 4th favorite album of 2023. The music and composition of the album fits perfectly for road trips or just walking around your neighborhood, it really sets as a great soundtrack to your everyday life. Even though it was just a few months ago when they played Fayetteville, Unwed Sailor still put on a sight-full performance where the music washes over you and there is no need for vocals. The latest news announced at the show though was that in 2024 we should expect a new album. Seeing Unwed Sailor twice in one year, an album in 2023 and now one in 2024? I’m not complaining, because that just means I found one of my favorite albums of 2024 already.