Summary: With its retro, rough-and-tumble rhythm and blues sound, The Strypes have earned a reputation for a thrilling live show, playing to packed crowds ready to rock. It's impressive for any young band to already be this good on stage, and especially so when you realize how young this Irish band actually is. The members of The Strypes -- singer Ross Farrelly, guitarist Josh McClorey, bassist Pete O’Hanlon, drummer Evan Walsh -- are all in the 16 to 18 age range, and McClorey, O'Hanlon and Walsh have known each other most of their lives. So sure, these guys are still kids -- younger than One Direction, in fact -- yet they carry themselves with swagger and strut of veteran rock stars. Luckily, the band backs up up that confidence and vitality on its 2013 full-length, Snapshot. These short driving songs are crammed with ripping guitar riffs, howling harmonica, and raw, sneering vocals that add up to a sound that pulls from live-wire blues, early rock, and even a hint of punk. It's a sound that has won over fans: Snapshot sold more than 200K copies in just two weeks when it came out in the U.K. last year, earning them a spot opening for Arctic Monkeys and prominent shows at this year's South By Southwest -- and drawing the attention of Noel Gallagher, Jeff Beck, and even Elton John.
