The Wainthropps

The Wainthropps come charging out of Austin with what they call “plastic soul”—a raw, sharply dressed collision of rhythm and blues, garage rock, vintage country and old-school rock ’n’ roll. Their sound reaches from the Mersey beat of 1960s British groups to the grit and heat of the Rio Grande, landing somewhere between a smoky soul revue and a rowdy neighborhood bar band.

Frontman Stewart Gersmann handles vocals and rhythm guitar, backed by Richard Segura on lead guitar, Christopher Stangland on bass and Sean Ragsdale on drums. Together, they favor lean arrangements, danceable grooves and guitar tones with just enough dirt around the edges. The result feels retro without becoming a museum piece—familiar bones, played with real urgency and Austin swagger.

The Wainthropps are built for rooms where people came to move, drink and hear a band push the volume past polite conversation. It is R&B-inflected rock ’n’ roll with garage-band snap, country flavor and plenty of instant vibe.