alt-J
When Alt-J put out their album, An Awesome Wave, 10 years ago, they were unsure how American audiences would react to their experimental psychedelic rock sound. But, fast forward a decade, and they are doing a tour celebrating the anniversary of the same album, commencing with two sold out nights at the legendary Kings Theatre in Brooklyn.
Oliver Hazard
Stand out was Northern Lights, released last year on an EP of the same name. During an emotional performance, lights projected onto the back of the Bowery Ballroom stage, replicating the aurora borealis.
Fans sang along to Ballerina, which hit streaming platforms only a few weeks earlier, but went crazy listening to Dandelion and Grenadine, two of the band’s most popular tracks.
Arlie
Part of the magic of Arlie’s music is their ability to pair incredibly vulnerable songwriting with catchy melodies, creating songs that reveal themselves in layers. This follows into their live performances, where the crowd gets lost in lyrics from some of their most popular tracks, like “Big Fat Mouth.”
Fitz and The Tantrums
15 years ago, Michael Fitzpatrick (Fitz) founded ‘Fitz and the Tantrums,’ and in the years since, they’ve remained not only relevant, but unavoidable–with regular viral radio hits, TV spots, and features on soundtracks. In his conversation with the groovement, Fitz revealed how the band contributes this success to being his own ‘harshest critic,’ remaining unwaveringly and intensely analytical of his own music.
Moon Kissed
To call the three shows that Moon Kissed hosted in December at Baby’s All Right a ‘residency’ would be a complete understatement. Over three weeks, Moon Kissed brought their audience into a new world, inspired in part by Dante’s Inferno, with a series of shows that each embodied ‘Heaven,’ ‘Purgatory,’ and ‘Hell,’ each featuring performance art, suggested attire, and live performances that highlighted the theme.
Fake Dad
Josh Ford and Andrea de Varona of Fake Dad have been together for five years, making music for four years. Their story began when they were both undergraduates at NYU, and a mutual friend invited Josh to one of Andrea’s parties. Eventually, they moved in together to that same apartment. They had already been making music independently, with Josh focusing on what he describes as ’2010-indie-sadboi music,’ and Andrea making jazz with an R&B influence (Think Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, and Amy Winehouse). The two found a connection in their mutual love of 70s and 80s rock music.
Trentemøller
Anders Trentemøller spent September and early October touring North America, before ending with two back-to-back shows at Elsewhere in Brooklyn. He’s been touring for 15 years but recently challenged himself by releasing his longest album yet, Memoria, and taking it on the road.
The Desk Jockeys
The band members hail from Atlanta, Tuscaloosa, Boston, Connecticut and Kentucky, but they all met when they were students at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. After playing house parties and bars, they gathered a sizable local following and gained a reputation for not only the funky and danceable sound, but also the fun energy they brought to each show.
Will Joseph Cook
Will Joseph Cook has a unique ability to connect with an American audience, despite growing up across the pond in Kent, England. His latest tour, opening for 23 of Tessa Violet’s North American shows, had Will playing at some of the most notable venues across the states
