LEISURE
As we walked into The Hall at Elsewhere on November 16th, we immediately noticed a foliage-coated stage at the front of the room. One that, as it turned out, would create the perfect canvas for LEISURE’S wonderful Brooklyn show, a stop on their Leisurevision tour. As our anticipation grew, jungle sounds began reverberating through the venue, and the musicians, who were decked out in turtle necks and bucket hats, took to the stage.
Moon Taxi
Moon Taxi was on the New York leg of their “Set Yourself Free” tour, celebrating their 6th studio album, which was released after a remarkable 15-year journey in the music industry. The five-piece group’s latest album by the same name served as the musical backdrop for the evening. The record’s eclectic nature, which is defined by synthy pop vibes to bluegrass and folksy sounds, set the stage for a dynamic and genre-blurring live performance. As the group wove new tracks into the setlist, the live show provided testament to a Moon Taxi sound that stayed consistent even as the genre shifted.
Say She She
We were originally introduced to the groovy and touching magic of a live Say She She concert last November, when the groovement caught their set at Brooklyn Made. So last week, less than a year later, there was something satisfying in seeing a gushing crowd packed into Bowery Ballroom to take the mesmerizing live journey through their evolving “disco-delic” indie music. The local Brooklyn band has grown so much in such a short time, culminating in their first headlining show at this iconic venue between stops on their tour across the country. It was also marked by the successful release of the enchanting new album, Silver.
grentperez
As the sun set on a perfect evening in Central Park, grentperez performed a vibey, hour-long set for a joyous crowd. The singer/songwriter’s blend of jazz and indie always evokes a warm feeling and by the end, our cheeks hurt from smiling so much. The band seemed to feel the energy too, dancing along with us at Central Park’s SummerStage.
Sunflower Bean
Known for their captivating live performances, Sunflower Bean was a perfect fit for the grand opening. The crowd jammed to tracks off their latest album, Handful of Sugar. The live setting gave their sound a garage-rock quality, and their performance had a raw, euphoric edge.
Summer Salt
Shrouded by a colorful, 70’s-style set-up, Austin-based indie trop-pop duo, Summer Salt, gave a truly vibey performance last Thursday at Brooklyn Bowl. Drummer Eugene Chung kicked it off with Tortilla Soup from the band’s latest album, Campanita. His high-energy drum intro was met with their classic sunny guitar and Mattew Terry’s airy vocals.
Wild Child
The musical synergy Alexander Beggins and Kelsey Wilson find in delicately sung poetry and warm ukulele has drawn people to Wild Child’s music since the release of their debut album, Pillow Talk in 2011. The lyrics can be bittersweet, sometimes sad, but they hold you in their wholeness and in the tender melodies, so you kind of smile anyway. Live, the Austin-based duo is known to invite rooms full of strangers into those vulnerable places their music is made from, and it feels like home.
Cafuné
After touring the country on their first headline tour as Cafuné, the local indie pop duo gave their last performance to a sold-out Bowery Ballroom. And if there was one thing to take away from the night, it was this: after a whirlwind of a TikTok viral song and selling out venues across the country, this show was a homecoming.
The Backfires
This past November, we went to a sold-out Bowery Ballroom show headlining Manchester rock band, Courteeners. It was an electric, memorable evening kicked off by their opening act: a local up-and-coming rock band called The Backfires. The group caught the whole crowd’s attention that night. Since they wrapped up supporting Courteeners for their East Coast tour dates, The Backfires have been busy selling out a show in London, recording new music, and gearing up for their next NYC concert coming up at Baby’s All Right on February 22nd.
Brother Moses
Brother Moses is an indie rock band who wants to make music that people put on when they’re driving in their cars. At least, that’s what the group’s lead singer and guitarist, James Lockhart, told us before their show at Baby’s All Right last week. After the recent release of their latest EP, Apocalypse Football, and on the brink of the upcoming album to follow, Brother Moses kicked off their series of three east coast shows at the Williamsburg venue.
