For weeks, all my trustworthy friends had been raving about Sky Lake. My curiosity was piqued, but still I remained skeptical. In my experience, it's nearly impossible to live up to that sort of hype. Nevertheless, I was dying to see for myself, so I kept an eye on Sky Lake's schedule and patiently waited for the next local performance, which happened to be at the LAB (in my opinion, the best sounding room in town). My jaw hit the floor the moment the set began. Sky Lake’s sound was unlike anything coming out of Asheville at the time, and the dizzying video installations only heightened the sense that the band wasn't just playing songs, it was building moods. This was only the fourth local performance, but from what I could tell, the sky was the limit for this band (please excuse the pun). Unfortunately, cellist Benjamin Pates has sense left the country, and the band has been on hiatus. Rumor has it that a new incarnation of Sky Lake (including piano and harp) has been rehearsing, and I for one look forward to falling in love with this band all over again. — Dane Smith, club land editor, A&E writer
“Sky Lake is still in its infancy — with only a handful of local appearances and a few rough demos on MySpace — which makes the passion and vision of their live show all the more impressive.
Relaxed and at ease before the attentive crowd, the band quietly continued through a stellar set that was at times sparse and understated, equally ferocious and soaring at others — thanks in large part to Pates’ droning cello and Williams’ atmospheric tenor. Imagine if Devendra Banhart and Thom Yorke had a baby, blessed with the former’s talent for bluesy, freewheeling folk-rock and the latter’s penchant for ethereal sound-scapes delivered with driving intensity. Now you’re getting the picture.”
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