Rival Sons returns to play ‘Pressure & Time’ in its entirety

Visions of a tornado landing and potentially devastating everything in its path are the images that run through Rival Sons guitarist Scott Holiday’s mind when Spokane is mentioned.

When Rival Sons was touring behind “Pressure & Time” a decade ago, Rival Sons was performing on a bill headlined by Joan Jett at the Spokane County Fair in September 2011.

“It was pretty classic,” Holiday said while calling from Reno, Nevada. “We were out in the middle of a field at the festival in Spokane. The weather was funky and, well, kinda crazy. There were tornado warnings, which was a bit much for this California boy. I remember how still it got and the talk about going to a nearby basement. It was frightening.”

Rival Sons survived the gig and jumped to another echelon after the release of “Pressure & Time.” The group was one of the buzz bands at Austin’s South By Southwest in 2012 and earned critical acclaim thanks to its rousing second album, which is comprised of straightforward meat and potatoes rock.

The “Pressure & Time” tunes are reminiscent of Led Zeppelin, Foghat and a number of rockers who ruled the 1970s by unleashing power chords while fronted by a vocalist with a searing tenor.

The Long Beach, California-based band, which headlines Friday at Knitting Factory after opening acts Ida Mae and Jameson Burt, will mark the 10th anniversary of “Pressure & Time” by playing the album back to front, as well as other favorites.

“It’s been fun going back to that album and playing some songs we barely touched live,” Holiday said. “People have let us know how much they love that album, so why not go back and play those songs? We’re playing the tracks from that album and a bunch of songs that are familiar to our fans.”

During the pandemic, Rival Sons, which also includes vocalist Jay Buchanan, bassist Dave Beste and drummer Michael Miley, wrote and recorded an album’s worth of material. Don’t expect a preview when the band plays Knitting Factory.

“The next album should be out by summer,” Holiday said. “We’re not going to play any of the new stuff yet. We have plenty to perform, and we’re just focusing on keeping this tour going. It’s not easy with COVID. … It’s a drag since there are no signings, no meet-and-greets.

“It’s weird not socializing. It’s strange not going out together, hitting the bars and restaurants after shows. It’s different, but it’s better than being stuck at home like we were. Hopefully, things will be different when the album comes out next year.”