Kongos, the Joy Formidable

There’s something thrilling about a three-piece rock band. Seeing a guitar-bass-drums lineup deliver the goods live, sans any “extra” guitars or keyboards, offers what can be argued as one of most authentic rock ’n’ roll experiences possible. It was true with Hendrix and Cream, true with Minutemen and Nirvana, and remains so with the Joy Formidable, a Welsh trio stopping by Spokane on tour with pop-rockers Kongos. Led by mesmerizing frontwoman Ritzy Bryan, the band broke through as a killer club attraction and festival favorite five years ago with the aptly named album The Big Roar. They’ve since delivered two more raging sets of contagious guitar rock, including this year’s Hitch, a sonic leap forward into some lusher arrangements that’s no less powerful than their older work.