Breaking Up The Boys' Club: The Seratones’ A.J. Haynes Is A Female Rock Powerhouse

By: Riley Ann

The Seratones are blowing up the rock scene as we know it. My advice? Go see this band the next time they’re in town, when you still might be able to catch them play a basement show.

Seratones played two consecutive nights at the Larimer Lounge last weekend, and the shows were sponsored by Colorado Public Radio’s OpenAir. The band actually played for OpenAir in a session last fall, and they returned to Denver packing both nights at the Larimer. The first night, The Kinky Fingers and The Guestlist opened the show; the second night Wes Watkins’ Septet and Quantum Creep shared the stage.

Wes Watkins' Septet.

Wes Watkins' Septet.

At heart, Seratones is a garage rock band with funk, soul, and jazz influences combined with a touch of Southern flavor. Fronted by the powerhouse vocals of A.J. Haynes, the band compels you to dance with heavy, driving guitar chords, bluesy rock riffs, and syncopated rhythms. Haynes’ vocals are equally powerful as they are playful, as is her stage presence, making for a captivating show both sonically and visually. Haynes isn’t shy about her feminine energy either, whether in her vocals or her dancing, and she also isn’t afraid to headbang on stage while hammering out guitar chords, dive on top of the crowd while belting out a chorus, or stomp through a horde of people dancing and singing along with her.

The Seratones.

The Seratones.

Having already appeared on NPR’s Tiny Desk and Audiotree, this band continues to gain national and international recognition, and are making waves with their album Get Gone. Immediately following their Denver shows, the band flew to Paris to begin their European tour this week. Inevitably, their future holds sold-out theatre shows, so see this band as soon as you can, because nothing beats the intimate show of a band like this in a dive bar, a basement, or a garage.

More about the Seratones’ music and tour dates can be found on their website.

-Riley

Find out more about Riley on her blog.

All photos per the author. This feature was edited for brevity and clarity by BolderBeat.