Acoustic concert a break from the norm for Brian Swindle

Brian Swindle, singer and guitarist of the band Have Mercy, will perform an acoustic show at The Funhouse at Mr. Smalls in Millvale on July 20.
Known for the recently released single “Baby Grand” off of their latest album “Make the Best of It,” Swindle said that this performance will be different than other Have Mercy concerts.
“It is not going to be like any other Have Mercy shows. I am hoping they (the audience) are going to be more interactive with us. I am going to be taking requests, we are going to play some old stuff, some covers,” he said. “It is going to be a unique show.”
Swindle said the band got its beginnings around six years ago.
“I wrote four songs back in 2011 and I wanted to make them (with) a full band. I got the guys together and we ended up recoding an EP and we got signed for that EP and it took off from there,” he explained. “We are on Hopeless Records.”
Swindle is currently the only original member of the emo/indie-rock band.
“If the Foo Fighters were more emotional; more emo rock,” is how Swindle describes the sound of Have Mercy.
According to Swindle, “Baby Grand” is a song that was created by happenstance.
“‘Baby Grand’ was a song that we wrote on a whim in the studio and we wanted to have a more ‘ballad-ly’ song on our new record,” he explained. “The title came from moving this piano into this studio that we were moving into. It started out as a dumb song about moving this piano and I changed the lyrics to be more profound.”
So far, “Make the Best of It” has been receiving positive reviews throughout the Internet.
The music website, “Alt Dialogue” wrote, “Unlike previous albums, there isn’t a weak track – all 11 are of the highest standard. ‘Coexist’ is the standout track with its commanding chorus and near perfect execution of catchy alt rock – it’s bound to become a live favourite in no time. ‘Baby Grand’ and ‘Reaper’ come extremely close in matching its magic. The latter is especially good, the guitars are little heavier adding a bit more punch to sit alongside the catchy hook making for an excellent sing along.
StichedSound.com echoed the same sentiments and said, “‘Make the Best of if’ leans once more on Swindle’s oft-used hooks and lyrical themes of failed relationships and unrequited love – standard fare for bands in their genre. However, one this is certain: this record is Have Mercy’s strongest and most consistent effort yet. While newcomers might find this sound to be anticlimactic or uninteresting, us fans who have been following the band since the beginning will welcome the record and a sign of comfort and familiarity.”
The Have Mercy Acoustic & Chase Hauglin performance at Mr. Small’s Funhouse will be at 7 p.m. with doors opening at 6 p.m.
Tickets for the all-ages show start at $12 and can be purchased online at ticketfly.com.
“I guess (I want the audience to take away) that it’s me and my buddy Chase that are going on tour and that they realize that we are normal guys,” said Swindle. “Sure we play in a band, but I want to show fans that they can just hang out with us. That we ae normal people.”