The Congress

Combining rock and roll, Southern soul and a touch of twangy country flourishes, The Congress is keeping the sepia-toned spirit of groups such as The Band and The Grateful Dead alive well into the 21st Century. Despite its vintage roots, however, the Denver outfit has been quickly developing a reputation as a band that's hard to pigeonhole thanks to its abrupt stylistic shifts and modern influences. A typical set may drift into mellow Appalachian vocal folk or pedal-steel guitar-driven ballads before suddenly erupting into psychedelic guitar workouts that remind you that The Congress is still a rock and roll band, through and through.