On The Verge

Hacienda

San Antonio, Texas
New-School Classic Rock
www.haciendaonline.net

It’s the ultimate rock discovery story: join a band, make a demo and slip it—somehow—to a big-time rock star, who likes it enough to take you on the road and give you your big break. Nashville, Tenn.-via-Texas rockers Hacienda didn’t get that memo, though. When they slipped their demo to the man who’d eventually push their career next level, he was still manning his own merch booth. That was five or so years ago; these days, it helps that that man was Dan Auerbach, one-half of The Black Keys, who’re now too busy headlining festivals to notice if their T-shirts are selling. “They still work harder than anyone,” says Hacienda singer Dante Schwebel. “Every show, every chance to play—they take it.” That workhorse mentality’s clearly rubbed off on the band, who’ve recently toured with the Keys as well as other heavy hitters like My Morning Jacket and Dr. Dog—whose ‘60s-ish bass-butt grooviness is borrowed by Hacienda on “Veronica,” one of the highlights of their upcoming third record. But don’t apologize for calling them revivalists. “[Classic rock] exists and we love it,” Schwebel says. “It’s our job to make it sound new.”