There are a lot of firsts that a young band has to go through. Your first show, your first record, and your first tour. West Virginia based trio Hello June played their first Cincinnati show at the Northside Tavern Tuesday night to a fairly large weekday crowd.  

The reason that was their first show here in Cincinnati was because it was their first tour as well. Setting out on a nine show run in support of their self-titled, first, studio album. Hello June seems like any other band that’s just getting it’s start. 

The difference with this band is that they are beginning their young career with an incredible album that has been receiving critical success from big news outlets like Paste Magazine and NPR.

Originally a duo, Sarah Rudy vocalist/ guitarist and drummer Whit Alexander are writing and playing songs like they’ve been on the road for ten years together, just waiting for their big break. 

At times sounding like Sleater-Kinney, but with the more pop and sonic sound of the Cranberries, Hello June has something sweet and beautiful about their sound that can still be rough around the edges. 

Playing a short 45 minutes, Hello June didn’t even get to one of their biggest songs “Candy Rain,” just still getting a feel for what the set list will be and how they want to play it. Still getting to songs like “Mars,” and “Strangers,” they were able to soothe the crowd and turn some heads.

Like the soundtrack to an indie-film romance, Hello June is undeniably warm and intimate with their sound. They’re a drive at sunset on an August afternoon kind of band, and there is always a place for bands that can soundtrack your life like that. 

They’re on tour currently with Nashville band Oginalii, who was an amazing show in their own right, making stops throughout Ohio, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. 

For a lot of firsts, Hello June isn’t off to a bad start and this certainly won’t be the last time they stop in Cincinnati. Their next show is tonight in Columbus at the Ace of Cups.