the groovement

By Calli Ferguson | November 10, 2023
📸: shot by Owen Labate

On a sweet, nostalgic vision of a night, the groovement headed to Brooklyn Bowl for what felt like a journey to a Williamsburg of eras past. Moon Taxi, the Nashville-based alt-rock group took the stage, and we were transported back to 2015: the era of hipsters and artisan coffee shops and denim jackets. Maybe it was frontman Trevor Terndup’s fedora, the way the venue held the sound of the music, or the seasoned band’s timeless discography. Either way, we were here for it.

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 namenserved 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.

The music roared well above the echoes of bowling pins, and the crowd’s energy remained high throughout the night. Terndup’s distinctive Nashville twang reverberated through the Brooklyn venue, and along with it, the fusion of synth-driven beats and raw, organic folky tones that kept the audience on their toes with each transition. “Red Hot Lights” was followed by “Run Right Back,” which led into “Heart of Gold,” and the audience was led through albums and energies that the band brought to the stage. Some songs were strung by epic sax moments and a drum solo over roaring cheers. The versatility of Moon Taxi’s performance was a testament to their musical maturity and the depth of their artistic expression.

That whole idea of “Set Yourself Free” was not just an album title, but a directive for both the band and the audience to stretch boundaries of genre and time and place to just be, listen and experience music freely. We were happy to be a part of that nostalgic odyssey through time and sound. The night captured the essence of a Brooklyn that once was, intertwining the band’s musical prowess with the spirit of a bygone era.