August 28, 2026 – Carrboro, NC
If there is one thing that the guys of West 22nd know how to do, it’s work a crowd. The band lit up the main room of Cat’s Cradle in Carrboro on Friday, August 28th. They built up the suspense on the 9th night of their ‘Places to Be’ tour by following the opening act with a pitch-black stage, as instrumentals played in the background and the lights began to strobe across the venue. The screams and shrills that erupted as the band ran out were some of the loudest I’ve heard. The electricity that West 22nd brought to the Cradle was like no other. On top of that, their fan base is truly something special. The crowd was filled with signs asking the band to play everyone’s favorite songs such as “Hang Man” and “Sunburns.”
This band is fairly new to the scene. The group of students from The University of Texas at Austin formed West 22nd in 2021, naming it after West 22nd Street on their college campus. Lead vocalist Logan Madsen and lead guitarist Jeremy Ancheta met while living in the same dorm, where they quickly bonded over their shared love for music. They quickly met the other guys in the band through an open mic night and putting flyers up around campus. Their debut happened at the University’s Kappa Alpha fraternity house, and they began playing small parties and gigs. It wasn’t until they released their hit single “Sunburns” in April of 2023 that they accumulated traction and fame. This is merely their second headlining tour, and they already have fans over the moon for them.
The band has a deep rooted southern-indie sound that is highlighted in songs like “Savannah”, “Easy Love”, and their cover of Tyler Childers’ “Charleston Girl”. They have such a homey feel while also incorporating rock and alternative sounds that resonated deeply with the North Carolina natives at this show. Their newest single “Time Machine” released in April of 2026 was a huge hit with the crowd. The roar of the bass combined with the bounding leaps of lead singer Madsen had the front row trying to climb the stage.
There is no doubt that this band is only going up from here with the passion and talent that goes into every song and performance. Check out the rest of their tour dates on their official website.
Great article!
I’m definitely going to check out their music