Rhode Islands Deer Tick plays Americana music in the vein of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers rootsy, guttural rock-and-roll. The band started as a solo project for the then-19-year-old songwriter John J. McCauley III but now operates as a quartet, including their newest member, guitarist Ian ONeil, who last year left Titus Andronicus to play with Deer Tick full-time. McCauley and co. are hitting up the festival circuit this summer, including Coachella and Lollapalooza, in support of their third full-length, The Black Dirt Sessions. While Deer Tick lyrics typically skew towards (in true Americana tradition) women, drinking, and the blues, their new single, 20 Miles, has McCauley hoarsely singing such sweet lyrics as If youre running away/ Im looking for you/ And if youve lost your way/ Im seeing you through. With Holy Sons. ERIN K. THOMPSON
Thu., April 22, 9 p.m., 2010
