The Berkshires & Cambridge, Mass.
Five Voices, One Band
Judging by their name, you’d think that the members of The Whiskey Treaty Roadshow hail from south of the Mason-Dixon Line rather than the Berkshires. The quintet, which formed in 2014 after a festival in Greenfield, Mass., is built on a brotherhood—or the idea that what’s good on its own is better together. Instead of a traditional lineup, Whiskey Treaty is made up of five frontmen, each singing and playing his own songs and each with a distinct vibe and sound. “It’s not some kind of guitar lesson where everyone’s sitting around playing the same thing,” says Billy Keane, noting that the band typically hires a rhythm section. “You’re spreading out the tonal sounds.” Someone leads, the others support and then the torch is passed. The group’s live album and DVD, The Heart of the Run, is proof that their unconventional band structure not only makes sense, but also offers something truly unique in the Americana space. There are common themes—bottled courage, Western Massachusetts—but a show can easily move between Paul Simon-esque pop and Avett Brothers-inspired folk, between raucous drinking tunes and softer ballads. “We try and set up our setlists to undulate between different sounds,” says Tory Hanna, “and that’s part of the draw—it’s never boring.”