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With monster guitar riffs, an all-encompassing sound, and incredible intensity, The Messenger Birds have a sound that may make you think there are five people on stage. You’d be mistaken; the grungy Detroit alternative-rock music you’re hearing is coming from just two guys.
Those two guys are Parker Bengry and Chris Williams, two high school friends from Metro Detroit who have been rocking shows since 2014. They came together after leaving other bands and realizing after some jam sessions that they could form their own band with no rules or agenda. That freedom has allowed them to explore new ways of approaching alternative-rock both lyrically and musically.
Their journey of reconnecting after years apart is what inspired their name. An actual messenger bird will always find its way back to where it started, regardless where it has travelled. The duo already knew each other’s talents and strengths when they came back together, so they knew how to make the most out of just two performers. The result makes for some energetic music and shows.
Bengry describe their sound with one word: loud. Most of their songs feature some intricate riffs and catchy hooks, usually performed by a four or five piece band, but the two do everything, even at live shows.
“Most people assume that we just advertise the band as the two of us and hire a live band to back us up, but it’s always been just two guys on and off the stage,” Bengry said. “We bring a lot of Detroit grit to an alternative rock leaning sound, and we make a lot more noise than you might expect with so few people.”
That Detroit grit can be felt at their shows, as intensity is one of the main things the duo aims for. Bengry said that the duo puts everything into their performances and just go nuts.
“No matter how exhausted or stressed we are from whatever else is going on in our lives, for that short period of time on stage, nothing else matters. We leave it all out there,” Bengry said.
Photo Credit: Koda Hult
The Messenger Birds released their first EP, “The Good Years,” back in 2016 and have released singles such as “Self Destruct” and “Around the Sun” since. The rock duo are going to start a Midwest/East Coast tour in mid-August, with performances at Motor City Muscle on August 17 and The Pyramid Scheme in Grand Rapids on August 18.
Along with the tour, the two rockers say that there are some exciting things going on behind the scenes that they are eager to share with fans in the near future. To keep up with The Messenger Birds, make sure to follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and on their official website.
