I first heard about Damn the Kid in 2022, when my sister told me I should check them out at Binghamton Porchfest. They were the first band my wife and I saw at Porchfest that year. Which means Damn the Kid was also the very first band our daughter, then all of two years old, ever saw live. Her and her cousin dancing their pretty little heads off became a core memory for me. And said memory has one hell of an excellent soundtrack.
Damn the Kid dynamically blends rock, pop, and hints of punk into a hearty indie pottage ladled with a folksy singer-songwriter vibe. Lyricist Amber Winestock is a genuine modern bard, weaving compelling personal stories in a uniquely witty voice that never shies from displaying her unwavering feminism and impassioned political aptitude. And her vocals can safely draw comparisons with two of her key songwriting influences, Fiona Apple and Buffy Saint-Marie.
Bassist Raph Tombasco has a style reminiscent of Colin Greenwood. So it’s no small wonder he cites Radiohead amongst his numerous influences. Guitarist Luke Brown, who also plays with the Neopolitans, walks his fretboard with a tone reminiscent of his influences, too, which include Lindsay Buckingham and Steve Hackett. And it’s likely a safe bet Nate Brown is keen on Philip Selway, Stewart Copeland, and other technically-gifted drummers who can keep things tight without shying from exploration.
Background
Damn the Kid formed in 2020. Singer and rhythm guitarist Amber Winestock, a Brooklyn native, found herself with time at home to develop some songs thanks to the pandemic. She and bassist Raph Tombasco, who’d met earlier while catering, were exchanging tracks and mixes by email. Raph introduced their music to “the Brothers Brown”—Nate and Luke—and suddenly their band clicked into place.
Their band’s name has a pretty cool origin story, too. Tombasco culled the phrase Damn the Kid from a short fiction collection. And that line resonated with Amber, given Charlie Chaplin’s The Kid was the first movie to ever make her cry. The band became official in the summer of 2021 with the release of their first single, “Give up the Mountain.”
Since their debut in 2021, Damn the Kid have released a flurry of top-flight singles and EPs. They plan to release their first full album, Ava’s Town, in the summer of 2024.
Learn more about Damn the Kid
Damn the Kid has excellent music to take in online, and their web presence is lighthearted and playful with an energy more bands should put into the world. Be sure to keep an eye out for their highly entertaining comic strips as you explore Damn the Kid in depth:
Damn the Kid are an unsigned, self-represented band. You can contact them directly via email at damnthekidmusic@gmail.com for bookings and press/ media inquiries.
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