After a two-year touring hiatus Naugatuck band A Will Away took to the stage at Nod Hill Brewery on March 18 in Ridgefield to celebrate their sophomore album, Stew. The band did not come alone, they brought Virginia-based band Flight Club with them.

Flight Club warmed everyone up. At first, the crowd seemed unsure of what to make of the four-piece, but by the end of their set, everyone was tapping their foot or bobbing their heads to the beat. The band played “Patterns,” “High Roller,” and Adolescence.” Lead singer and rhythmic guitarist Charlie Mahoney is among the most energetic performers I have ever seen. Even though he promised everyone, he would not be jumping into the crowd, I almost expected him to do so. He was constantly moving during each song. His enthusiasm and excitement were evident and radiated onto everyone else. Their latest EP “Until The Sun Drowns” is available now via Open Your Ears Records.

Once Flight Club finished their set, A Will Away began to set up. They played an albeit short but meaningful set. Again, this was an album release show, and the band played six songs from their newest release; “I’ve Got A Five,” “The Rock,” “Spittin’ Chiclets,” “Hereditary,” “Re-Up,” and “Speechless.” For songs that have been released recently, they got reactions usually reserved for the hits or crowd favorites. The band also played their previous material like “Well-Adjusted” off their debut, “Here Again,” “My Sitter,” off of Bliss and “Long Exposure” from their 2019 EP “Soup.”

Brendon Machow joined the group to play guitar. If you did not already know, he was new to the lineup. With the way Machow played, you would think he had been part of the band for years. The latest addition to the band fits right in.

They closed out their set with a rock version of “Something Special.” The original version is described as a slow song, but A Will Away’s decision to speed it up for their rock cover gave the song new life and kept everyone rocking out until the end. This energetic performance gave me a valid reason to forgive the guys for not playing “Karma.” It was clear that the band had missed performing live since the COVID-19 pandemic robbed them and their fans of that experience for a long time. They were happy to be back on stage and I think I can speak for the crowd when I say we were glad to have them back.

An A Will Away show is unlike most shows you’ll go to. Sure, you can make friends at any concert or talk to band members, but not all shows have you repeatedly run into familiar faces. Nor do most shows have you catching up with band members from where you last left off. That night I heard someone refer to this community as a family. There’s not a better way to describe it.

Stew is available now via Rude Records.