A LocalBozo.com Concert Review
Webster Hall, New York, NY
October 1st, 2016

A dreary and overcast autumn night was no match for the storm The Dear Hunter generated inside Webster Hall‘s iconic walls on Saturday evening. The band’s ‘Final Act Tour’ rolled through New York City on October 1st in support of their latest record, “Act V: Hymns with the Devil in Confessional.” The venue’s floor was tightly packed with eager fans and its atmosphere was filled with their mounting excitement. The house lights cut out a few minutes after 9pm and created a moment that spiked the energy to a deafening roar in anticipation of the band’s arrival to center stage. Absence of light brought the presence of sound from the musicians as the keyboard and drum intro leading into “The March” permeated the building’s airwaves. The droning, commanding cadence of the cut from the new album was met with thunderous foot stomping action from the crowd that could have easily registered on the Richter scale.

The energy output never wavered from the audience, especially once the stage lights illuminated the full six piece band. Stage right was home for guitarists Rob Parr and Max Tousseau, Nick Sollecito with his keyboard and bass were set up on stage left, and just slightly behind the frontline, was Nick Crescenzo on drums. Though the pieces would remain in place around him, the impressive and dynamic vocal presence possessed by singer and band founder, Casey Crescenzo, would be the evening’s true focal point.

The Dear Hunter set the bar high for themselves early in the night with their explosive introduction and did not fail to build on that momentum at any point through the entirety of their set. “The Most Cursed of Hands/Who Am I,” another track from the group’s dynamic latest album seamlessly and masterfully blended country, lounge and rock vibes together, beginning just a bit slow before hitting a signature anthemic stride. The charismatic chemistry and remarkable tightness of the collective group continued to be on display as the vibe slowed down a bit and the crowd’s stomping turned to swaying amid the opening strums of “Waves.” Despite Crescenzo’s powerful vocals, he was drowned out by the audience’s roaring “oh-oh-ohh’s” that popped up throughout the song’s progression.

Just as quickly as the vibe the slowed down, it picked back up with the uniquely old-time rock infused “The Bitter Suite IV and V: The Congregation and the Sermon in the Silt,” catchy track names certainly, but far better in a live setting than their otherwise wordy titles might imply. The set then began to transition a bit further back into the band’s history with the emergence of songs from “Act II” and “Act III.” “He Said He Had a Story” and “Saved” gave way to crowd favorite and keyboard rhythm driven, “Smiling Swine.” Undeniably catchy, it had everyone in sight clapping, bouncing and singing along and brought the room’s atmosphere to peak levels. The Dear Hunter then brought the focus back around on Act V with the trifecta of “Gloria’s” flawless vocal harmonies, “The Revival’s” composition of Spanish rock blended with just a bit of Go-Go, and the emotion that “The Flame (Is Gone)’s” lyrics evoked from concertgoers rounded out the set.

After a quick bow, and a few minute break, The Dear Hunter returned for a two song encore that began with the epic rock journey from Act III, “Mustard Gas.” Refueled and ready for one more, the band wrapped up with the beautiful and powerful ballad “Life and Death.” The near ninety minute set was an exciting, incomparably fun and physically demanding experience for the band and equally as much for the fans on hand. With “Act VI” known to be on the horizon, we are all impatiently waiting for The Dear Hunter’s return to New York City, a wait that began the moment that the show let out on Saturday night.

- Jon Asher

A LocalBozo.com Concert Review
Webster Hall, New York, NY
September 27th, 2016

In the midst of a full on media blitz in New York City to support the release of their tenth studio effort- “Hardwired…To Self-Destruct,” due November 18th- Metallica sold out the 1,500 standing room only capacity at Webster Hall on Tuesday night in roughly the time it takes for drummer Lars Ulrich to tap his hi-hat. At Saturday’s performance on the Great Lawn at Central Park’s “Global Citizen Festival” fans were alerted to the secret show and thousands would subsequently enter a lottery to purchase tickets for just $25, the proceeds of which would be donated to local nonprofit organization City Harvest. With a street filled with revelers hoping for a glimpse of the stage standing outside, the standing room only space inside was packed with bodies on top of bodies, hoping to get as close as possible to the legendary masters of thrash metal.

Predictably, the show was sensational as the band dipped into the depths of their catalog while also showcasing some new music for the fiercely loyal crowd who did their part by forming racuous mosh pits all evening long. With nary an announcement, the four members strode out to center stage led by frontman James Hetfield, flanked by bass player Robert Trujillo, guitarist Kirk Hammett and fashionably last, drummer Lars Ulrich who, in typical fashion, hammed it up with a drink in hand to amplify the already excitable crowd. Though more casual Metallica fans- none in the house on this night- may scoff at the band opening with a cover song, longtime listeners will attest that the group’s version of Budgie’s “Breadfan” is perhaps the most appropriate way to kick off a show. The familiar riff which the band debuted on as a B-side to 1988 single “Harvester of Sorrow” coupled with Hetfield’s vocals, which sound as polished as they ever have, immediately ignited the audience, anxiously anticipating the unfolding of the surprise setlist.

Electrifying set-staples like the stirring “Fade to Black,” the heavy and plodding “Sad But True,” and of course the war epic “One” were included as always. But it was also a nice change of pace for the band to bang heads with lesser known tracks like “Holier Than Thou,” the instrumental “Orion,” (a tribute to original bassist Cliff Burton) and in their encore, the infectious “Whiskey in the Jar,” another cover tune, this time courtesy of Thin Lizzy. For all the knocks that Ulrich takes as a spokesperson, his drumming was on point throughout the evening, pacing the entire band through a slew of lightning fast thrash tracks. The insanely skilled Hammett and the serpentine-like Trujillo also had no trouble keeping pace, especially on the memorable debut of “Moth Into Flame,” a seamless fit alongside any Metallica track from the band’s nearly four decades together.

No Metallica show is complete however without a nod to legendary hits like the pulverizing “Master of Puppets,” the anthemic “For Whom the Bell Tolls” and the iconic “Enter Sandman,’ cuts which the bandmates have without question, performed more than 3,421,429 times together. That said, there’s no phoning it in from Metallica and somehow, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers manage to make each performance a special one regardless of the venue. The small ballroom space on East 11th Street may as well have been Madison Square Garden, without much of the pyrotechnic pomp and circumstance mind you. When the somewhat abbreviated hour and forty-five minutes ended in typical Metallica fashion with the defiant “Seek and Destroy” from 1983′s “Kill ‘Em All” closing the show, the full house of concertgoers audibly begged for more music. But the disappointment of the moment was was clearly fleeting as the capacity crowd in attendance collectively appreciated the special nature of the performance they had all witnessed together, in the intimacy of a New York City club.

- Dave Gendelson

A LocalBozo.com Concert Review
Webster Hall, New York, NY
July 19, 2016

Metal master and guitar virtuoso, Zakk Wylde shredded, strummed and effectively melted faces throughout a blistering ninety minute set on Tuesday night in the East Village.  Marking his latest stop on the “Book of Shadows II Tour” which kicked off in early July, sounds were audible from the sidewalk of 11th Street just outside Webster Hall with the walls barely able to contain the sound waves being generated by the band inside.  Despite the fact that Wylde’s latest release is an acoustic record, fans were treated to an array of electric and unplugged tracks across the masterful musician’s two solo albums.  The exhibition of sheer unadulterated metal from the lead guitarist paired with some soft, shimmery ballads and body swaying rhythm sections displayed the unequivocal versatility and dynamic range that Wylde possesses.  And for those unfamiliar with his solo work, it’s the same Zakk Wylde look with an entirely different sound.

Light typically beats sound in travel but the audience’s ears were the first to absorb the presence of the supreme ax-wielder as set opener “Sold My Soul” began to fill the show room as Wylde pummeled the strings on his Warhammer.  The house lights soon dimmed and a shadowy figure with an extremely defined silhouette approached center stage. With only the slightest bit of contrast from a few stage lights beginning to brighten, fans erupted as the defining outline of a top hat that spilled long locks, a massive chain that hung from his hips and easily the most recognizable custom guitar on the music scene came into focus. “Sold My Soul” elevated the energy in the room immediately with its ferocious and often aggressive solos accompanied by Wylde’s unique showmanship.  Although his guitar, emblazoned with his iconic bulls-eye design, was adorned with plenty of picks, during this solo it was strings to teeth (take that, Jimmy Page) followed by an impressive stretch of behind the back playing to the delight of the live crowd.

After setting the crowd on absolute fire with a blistering solo, gears quickly shifted as the next songs were the first three tracks off from his latest album which gave the concert goers their first taste of acoustic for the night. While the tempo slowed and the band changed vibes from alt/grunge into an unplugged southern rock feel with “Autumn Changes,” “Tears of December” and then “Lay Me Down,” the crowd was seemed to appreciate each of the dynamic changes and collectively were just as excited to hear the softer, dare we say, soothing side from the Jersey jammer’s latest offering. From headbanging and throwing up horns and seamlessly transitioning into sways and lighters in the air there was zero shortage of audience excitement through the duration of the show. A brutal and merciless guitar solo marked the middle of the set; from that point on it became a pretty even 50/50 split of tracks between the electric and acoustic albums.

The back half of the set opened with the somber “Throwin’ It All Away” followed by the equally ominous and beautiful “Dead As Yesterday,” and it seemed that the roomful of fans adorned in leather vests, studded belts,and torn jeans could not get enough of the performance.  The show was capped off with another trifecta from the most recent album with “The King,” “Lost Prayer,” and finally “Sleeping Dogs” to fully satiate the rabid crowd’s appetite.  Fans of Black Label Society and Ozzy Osbourne who may have been unfamiliar with his solo work were introduced to a totally different side of Zakk Wylde who’s usual metal mayhem took a back seat for the more raw and intimate side of the rock star- which the vociferous crowd seemed to enjoy equally, if not more.

- Jon Asher

A LocalBozo.com Concert Review
Webster Hall, New York, NY
May 21, 2016

A completely SOULed out (sorry) Webster Hall welcomed the return of the unparalleled and infinitely versatile Gary Clark Jr. to New York City on Saturday night as the East Village venue would host one of the most talented guitar players of this generation, backed by his four-piece band. Bad puns aside, the show was in fact sold out – from the main floor to the balcony and surrounding bar area, concertgoers took up every square inch of free space available as the virtuoso’s appearance on stage drew nearer. Despite the tight quarters, there was no shortage of clapping, swaying and rocking along with the infectious grooves traveling through the air courtesy of the finger picking rock machine and his ensemble. The genre transcendent rock star took Manhattan for a ninety-minute unrestrained ride rife with entrancing riffs and unrivaled licks that fans could not get enough off.

A rich and bold cobalt light emanated from the back of the stage and filled Webster Hall’s jam packed ballroom. The high and angled position of the lights provided enough contrast to silhouette Gary Clark Jr. as he nonchalantly strutted on stage armed with his six string and jammed on some blues bars allowing the rest of his bandmates the opportunity to get into position. Quickly, the three other members jumped in on the ephemeral jam which seamlessly led into the tonal beast and set opener “Bright Lights,” a perfectly appropriate opener given the ‘big city’ vibe that a Clark performance brings with it. Alternating between the song’s fat crunchy rhythm sections and distorted yet still silky smooth solos gave fans a preview into what the rest of the evening’s performance would unleash.

As “Bright Lights” closed out, the house lights came on revealing the rather simple stage layout that included two mics and essentially just the musicians and their instruments. The frontman’s unassuming demeanor was evident in every facet of the relatively how hum show, almost as if Clark himself shoulder shrugs at his own talents. Emerging in dark jeans, a blazer, work boots and a fedora that shadowed over most of his face, Clark is very obviously the coolest guy in the room, evidenced by the very moment he launched into the uptempo hip-shaker “Travis County.” The backing band continued to hover around the doo wop/Motown vibe for a few songs with “Our Love,” “Cold Blooded” and “BYOB” from Clark’s latest “The Story of Sonny Boy Slim” released back in the fall.

Rhythm and soul went into overdrive mid-set with crowd favorites “Ain’t Messin’ Round” and “Don’t Owe You A Thang,” a perfectly placed dynamic change that rallied the crowd into swinging and shaking. Southern rock and R&B manifested themselves pretty heavily in the back half of the set with tracks like “Shake” and “Down to Ride,” sandwiching the fuzzy and muddled riffs of “Numb” which emerged for a few minutes between the gentle sways and head nods of the softer songs. Capping another triumphant visit to Manhattan, set closer “Church” allowed Clark to truly showcase his full array of talents- both vocally and as an axeman. The 17 song set was a beautiful ride that managed to blend blues, country, southern, rock, funk, and a plethora of genres that no one else but Gary Clark Jr. could pull off so seemingly effortlessly.

- Jon Asher

A LocalBozo.com Concert Review
Webster Hall, New York, NY
April 27, 2016

Set to embark on a summertime run aboard the Carnival of Madness Tour alongside Shinedown and Black Stone Cherry, Pennsylvania rock quartet Halestorm made a trip into New York City on Wednesday night in support of 2015′s “Into the Wild Life,” the band’s third album. With opening sets from fellow female rockers Dorothy and the legendary Lita Ford, Halestorm unleashed a fine-tuned live show on a jam packed and sold out Manhattan crowd for ninety nonstop minutes. The setlist would lean heavily on the group’s latest but also tapped into some fun covers thrown in for good measure and the requisite number of hits to round out a mostly high energy performance as the band wraps up their remaining dates on this leg of their run. To their credit though, New York City proved to be a raucous and vocal crowd for the duration- something the band seemed to genuinely appreciate as the show progressed.

Amid an entirely blackened stage, frontwoman Lzzy Hale would first emerge without her bandmates. Standing at a keyboard, the audience warmly welcomed her to center stage, often drowning out the vocals to stoic opener “God Bless the Beast” with their heaping praise. The end of the harrowing track would signal the arrival of the rest of the band to join Hale on stage and rip through crowd favorites like “Mz. Hyde,” new track “Apocalyptic” and “Love Bites (And So Do I),” allowing fans to sing along with the band. Drummer Arejay Hale meanwhile, as the band’s relentlessly energetic catalyst, would continually play to the crowd, removing his shirt to the delight of the many female fans in the standing room only space. He would later be joined on stage by drummers Bobby Rock (Lita Ford) and Zac Morris (Dorothy) for a ten minute duel of drum solos that was a fast paced visual to give Hale’s voice a much needed respite from the high pitch of “Rock Show” preceding the solo.

Outfitted in black from head to toe- from leather jacket to tight pants- eyes never veered far from Lzzy Hale as she alternated between playing rhythm guitar and the keys when each song would call for them. Vocally, she seems to also be hitting her stride, touching all (or most) of the highest notes with ease on tracks like “I Get Off,” “Freak Like Me” and “I Am the Fire,” perhaps the new album’s best track. The band has been known to record cover songs from other groups ranging from classic rock to pop, and so watching Hale briefly croon on a verse of Nazareth’s “Love Hurts” at her keyboard was a particularly fun moment for the crowd. But the show’s most memorable moment would see Hale welcome Dorothy frontwoman Dorothy Martin out to the stage for an absolutely rousing cover of “I Just Want to Make Love to You,” made popular by Willie Dixon or Etta James or Foghat, depending upon where you’ve heard it before. Nonetheless, the pair went back and forth verse for verse while Hale and lead guitarist Joe Hottinger exchanged riffs throughout the blues-fueled rock number.

Although hit song “It’s Not You” was noticeably left out of the set, the band made sure to close out the show by eschewing the charade of an encore- something Hale noted to the live audience and was met with loud supportive cheers. Rocking renditions of new single “Mayhem,” the slower and uplifting “Here’s to Us” and set closer “I Miss the Misery” would follow thereafter allowing the sold out crowd to sing along in complete unison. At the end of ninety mostly heavy minutes, the band took some time to bask in the adoration of live applause and the crowd wouldn’t let them down, showing some New York City love toward one of rock music’s hardest working and complete acts.

- Dave Gendelson

Braving a precipitous temperature drop this past weekend, hundreds of revelers kept themselves warm with promises of delicious pours of craft brews and a selection of distinctive spirits inside of Webster Hall’s sprawling four floor space. Turning back the clock to the 1920’s, an afternoon of tasting brought big band music and a burlesque show along for accompaniment as guests enjoyed a four hour transformation back to the prohibition era. 2016’s East Ville Des Folies would commemorate the 130 year history of the venerable New York City institution, and though it was far easier to secure a drink on Saturday afternoon than it was back in the days of yore, the spirit of the era was very much alive.

A line of VIP ticketholders stretching around to 4th Avenue would await even early arriving attendees, but to their credit, the staff worked dutifully to keep everything moving along quickly. Once inside, guests were handed a commemorative tasting glass and a program guide before starting out on one of the four dimly lit floors featuring beers, ciders and whiskey offerings. Candidly, much of our afternoon was spent in The Grand Ballroom, where scintillating performances from scantily-clad ladies would grace both the stage and in the air overhead and Michel Arenalla and His Dreamland Orchestra swooned the standing room crowd throughout the day.

In a new twist this year, the Citi Speakeasy became a highly sought after respite for some light bar fare and mixed cocktails. Guests could simply flash a Citibank credit card and gain access to the private area space, being regaled with similarly appropriate music and intimate stage performances. After downing a particularly tasty Gimlet and an Old-Fashioned, it was time to set our eyes upon the feast of brews being poured just outside of the Speakeasy’s soft curtain. From small microbrewers to some of the most dominant names in the craft beer industry, there were tastes for all to enjoy during the afternoon. Familiar brewers like Sixpoint, Lagunitas Brewing Company and Guinness were situated near the likes of Sweetwater Brewing Co., Montauk Brewing Co., and Small Town, makers of the recently exploding (and alcoholic) “Not Your Fathers Root Beer.”

Stratford Connecticut’s Two Roads Brewing Co. has become one of our favorite local brewers, with a nice selection of easy drinking styles and we returned for pours of their “Worker’s Comp Saison” more than once. Deliciously crisp, the orange-fueled nose and light gold color went down remarkably smooth, yielding just a faint hint of spice in its finish. Similarly tasty, we quickly found the Oskar Blues table where we’d previously enjoyed their “Dale’s Pale Ale” and “IPA” plenty of times. The “Pinner Throwback IPA” however, offered up plenty of pine on the nose and hops on the tongue- and yet, it was also consistently smooth. American style IPAs can often be polarizing but this “Throwback” was an approachable entry for those who typically avoid the genre- one worth seeking out to break some of your friends into Pale Ales.

As always, fruit forward beers also proved to be wildly popular. Low on alcohol but incredibly sweet, “Schofferhofer Grapefruit” was probably our favorite ‘beer’ find of the last twelve months and since then, we’ve seen it at parties, tailgates and summertime cookouts seemingly everywhere. Fortunately, the beer was also prominently positioned at East Ville Des Folies and the friendly rep had no qualms about filling our glasses time and time again. A slightly sour “Strawberry Lambicus” from Brouwerij Timmermans was another addition to an already strong lineup of flavored beers. At 4% ABV, the sweet brew was pleasantly strong, nicely carbonated and proved a nice change of pace to some of the heavier styles like Shmaltz’ “Hop Manna IPA,” 21st Amendment’s “Brew Free or Die! IPA,” and Charles Wells Brewery’s “Young’s Double Chocolate Stout,” upon which we were imbibing for much of the day. Alphabet City Brewing Co.’s “Easy Blonde,” Belhaven’s “Twisted Thistle IPA,” and Downeast Cider House’s “Original Blend” also proved to be some of our favorites as the afternoon turned to early evening- and the day of drinking began to catch up to us.

We spent the last remaining hour perusing the whiskey selections being doled out inside The Marlin Room and in The Studio, where music was being belted out by the talented Molly Ryan Quartet. Sipping on a variety of helpings from the likes of Knob Creek, Four Roses, and Drambuie seemed to put us over the edge- though not before the pour of Woodford Reserve’s “Reserve Rye” hit our lips as perhaps the most memorable sample of our day. Unbelievably minty, with a touch of clove and malt, the smooth honey pour was one that was so memorable that we snapped a (blurry) photo of the bottle before heading back to the coat check and out into the chilly Manhattan evening. East Ville Des Folies again seemed to come and go remarkably quickly- a fun and festive throwback of sorts for those of us who romanticize about those times in history that we’ll never again have the chance to experience. At least, not until this annual event returns once again next January anyways.

- Jane Van Arsdale

It’s easy to romanticize the Prohibition Era- the music, the funny attire, the thrill of secrecy in running around trying to procure bathtub concocted booze. It is with these tenets in mind that each January hundreds of guests flock to fill Webster Hall‘s four sprawling floors for an afternoon throwback in time appropriately dubbed ‘East Ville Des Folies.’ The building reportedly owned by nefarious mobster Al Capone serves as an ideal setting for such a grandiose event- one that pairs live music in the Grand Ballroom with a selection of spirits in The Marlin Room and a smattering of craft beers seemingly everywhere over four fun-filled hours.

From burlesque dancers to trapeze artists, there is no shortage of eye-catching accoutrements to pique one’s interest as you journey through time, equipped with a commemorative tasting glass as your only traveling partner. Best of all, tickets are moderately priced at just $50 for General Admission ($60 VIP tickets get you inside an hour early), allowing for an all you can handle tasting experience for the senses. Local food purveyors are also slated to be on hand for the day with beer pairing tastings available for purchase as you slurp down domestic and international pours from the likes of Upstate Brewing Company, Sixpoint, Lagunitas, Shiner, Two Roads, Smuttynose, Sierra Nevada, Alphabet City Brewing Company, Tsingtao, Guinness and more. Plus you’ll sip on whiskey offerings from High West, Redemption, Four Roses, Tullamore Dew, Knob Creek, Laphroaig, Hudson and Jack Daniel’s amongst the dozens being served to your waiting lips.

LocalBozo.com is no stranger to the annual ‘East Ville Des Folies’- evidenced by our coverage here, here and here. In anticipation of the New Year, we are pleased as peas to give away two tickets to the festivities on January 16th to one of our lucky readers and a guest of their choosing. All you need to do is tweet @localbozo using the hashtag #folies2016 for a chance at being our selected winner. Our favorite tweet will be chosen on Thursday, 1/7 so get started today as we celebrate a new year with a throwback to the old days of drinking. All the day’s information is here.  Slainte!

- Jane Van Arsdale

A LocalBozo.com Concert Review
Webster Hall, New York, NY
May 4, 2015

Backed by a five piece band and an elaborately cartoonish cityscape, a sold out Webster Hall awaited singer-songwriter MIKA on Monday night inside its Grand Ballroom. The jam packed venue would play host to a lavish stage setup that featured the pageantry of a Broadway show played out to the British pop singer’s entire catalog. But behind all the pomp and circumstance, the colorful array of neon lights and the cardboard structures erected to house his backing band, MIKA unleashed a particularly revelatory showcase- one that was equal parts uplifting, fast paced and undeniably entertaining for each of the set’s ninety minutes.

Slated to release his fourth studio album “No Place in Heaven” on June 16th (Republic), the charismatic frontman strode out to center stage promptly at 10pm with little more than a sole spotlight there to greet him. The frenzied crowd meanwhile remained at a literal fever pitch as the singer confidently began with “Toy Boy,” a lullabye-esque opener featuring MIKA collaborating only with the vocals of his bandmates and the keys of a piano. Despite the opener’s dulcet tones, things picked up in a hurry with catchy pop tracks like “Popular Song” and “Gracy Kelly” following suit. The standing room only floor was shaking as a result from the sheer number of people jumping in place, singing along to the singer’s every lyric.

Outfitted in a slim-fit suit jacket adorned with some sewn-on stars and the letters of his moniker, MIKA would play to the crowd fairly subtly throughout the show without ever going overboard- a fact that the audience certainly took note of as they waited to explode during song’s chorus. With the stage presence of a veteran performer, MIKA held the crowd in his hands with each epic track- from the slow building “Underwater” to the suggestive “BoumBoumBoum,” a hit with this audience despite the fact that all of the song’s lyrics are in French.  As a singer, the frontman certainly has a penchant for the performance, as he’s often routinely mentioned in the same breath as Queen’s Freddie Mercury.  Similar flamboyance aside, his ability to balance brilliant harmony with a knack for hitting the falsetto makes MIKA a remarkable talent on his own.

It also helps that as a performer, his stage show is second to none. Track after track of fast-paced dance and singalong pop songs enliven his audience, where the concert is more of an interactive experience than perhaps any other. And because everyone around you is really enjoying themselves, it’s hard not to wholly throw yourself into the mix along with them- even if you aren’t fully caught up to speed on the group’s entire playlist.  So impactful was MIKA’s performance that fans were noticeably getting choked up during the band’s rendition of “Last Party,” the closest thing to a ballad that the singer showed during Monday night’s otherwise energy-laced set.

But with some bouncy pop tracks like “We Are Golden,” “Love Today” and show closer “Lollipop” which followed, the floor at Webster Hall returned to the dance party that had ensued throughout the night previously. MIKA didn’t spend all that much time addressing the crowd as the night wore on, despite being gracious for the opportunity to have played Webster Hall for a fourth time. But as he and his bandmates ripped through song after song in short order, he really didn’t need to. It was that old cliche that allowed his performance to do much of the talking- and as usual, MIKA overdelivered with an insanely fun show that would make pop music fans of even the genre’s most cynical critics.  The singer’s talents simply demand as much.

- Jane Van Arsdale

A LocalBozo.com Concert Review
Webster Hall, New York, NY
April 14, 2015

If you weren’t standing amid the swarm of concertgoers inside of Webster Hall’s Grand Ballroom on Tuesday night, then I hope you had a good reason. Touring in support of their recently released sophomore album “After It All” (Released April 7th), Durham, North Carolina folk-pop act Delta Rae triumphantly returned to New York City, unleashing an eighty minute set that showcased all of the pomp and circumstance of an arena show inside of the diminutive East Village music hall. And almost as immediately as the six piece band took center stage, there was no standing still for the rest of us as we once again marveled at the unheralded group’s collection of supreme talent.

Where to begin with a band, whose four principal members each take separate turns singing lead vocals and each on their own is entirely capable of being their own solo act. Utilizing an array of unique instruments and showcasing their penchant for live show theatrics, there was nary a moment during the entire performance where fans weren’t captivated by the musicians on stage. Although half of the band is made up of siblings Eric, Ian and Brittany Holljes, it’s the addition of Elizabeth Hopkins’ incredible pipes that yields the unparalleled dynamic between this foursome- from the harmonies to the foot-stomping to the little smirks they offer to one another on stage- that makes their live stage show far more veteran than their two album releases might otherwise imply.

The defiant new track “Outlaws” kicked the show off in energetic fashion, a feeling that would rarely let up during the course of the evening. Even ballads like Eric Holljes’ solo version of “The Meaning of it All” featuring just the singer and his piano was particularly inspired; the stirring rendition left much of the crowd in awe at his wide vocal range by the song’s end. Kicked off by an awesome violin intro, the uplifting “Run” started the folksy foot-stomping and hand-clapping early on to every beat of Mike McKee‘s frenzied drums. But where Delta Rae is perhaps most distinctive is in their ability to pen these chant-heavy tracks, backed by incredible kick drum and bass lines that transform each song from catchy pop tune into a dancing, screaming in-person rallying cry. On the electrifying “Chasing Twisters” and the haunting set closer “Bottom of the River,” there’s almost a ghostly presence joining the band on stage, as the flutter of colored lights seemingly meets each of the band member’s movements in phantom-like fashion.

Fortunately, the spectacle of the show itself allows the audience to focus more on the band’s talents than on all the bells and whistles. A stripped down A cappella style rendition of the unreleased “Any Better Than This” featured the four main performers brilliantly harmonizing and clapping around a single microphone as Grant Emerson‘s bass playing provided some backing fodder for the interactive crowd-pleaser. Again though, it was Hopkins’ remarkable vocals on “If I Loved You” that proved the be amongst the show’s finest points as the entire crowd sang along to the ridiculously catchy break-up song with the energy and enthusiasm of a far larger audience.

A cover of Sia’s “Chandelier” would fittingly conclude a fun encore, with the anthemic “Dance in the Graveyards” featuring a tease of Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” sending the live crowd home on a high note. You’d be hard pressed to find much to criticize at Delta Rae’s most recent stop in New York City, during a show that seemed to build to a crescendo from start to its pinnacle of a finish. Much as we felt in the hours that followed our first time seeing the band back in June, Delta Rae again managed to exceed our lofty expectations by somehow improving upon an already excellent and polished live show.

- Jane Van Arsdale

A LocalBozo.com Concert Review
Webster Hall, New York, NY
March 31, 2014

It’s been nearly two full years since the initial release of “Stolen Dance,” the insanely catchy first single from German duo Milky Chance. But it was only as recently as this past fall that the United States really took note and the song would subsequently explode domestically. The ensuing result, a slew of sold out tour dates at clubs around the country and the first of which welcomed throngs of excitable fans to New York City’s Webster Hall on Tuesday night as part of a two night stand for the electronic-meets-folk duo that’s in the midst of a meteoric musical rise.

Though the wild-haired Clemens Rehbein remains Milky Chance’s focal point as the group’s frontman, drummer/DJ/producer Phillipp Dausch deserves equal recognition as its stabilizing force. Together, the pair invigorated the New York crowd over the course of a mostly relentless, energetic ninety minutes that was rife with bouncy tracks and eye-catching lights that would captivate even those concertgoers not necessarily tripping on acid. The cavalcade of colors played as a backdrop though to the duo’s modest charisma. Dausch mostly pounds away quietly, shrouded behind an elaborately dressed up combination of drums and electronic equipment. Rehbein meanwhile, though front and center, rarely does much to engage the audience- instead using his deep and often mumbled vocal stylings and wildly energetic guitar-playing to do so for him. And the combination of each element manages to make for an incredibly likable stage show, furthered entirely by track after track of unique feel good music.

A jam packed room of screaming fans welcomed Milky Chance out to a completely dark stage following a brief instrumental intro. Launching into the reggae-laden “Stunner” as the band’s opener only further fueled crowd anticipation with most of the standing room space being occupied by pockets of folks dancing in place. The dreamy “Fairytale” and catchy folk-forward “Flashed Junk Mind” would soon follow suit leading to a sea of camera phones being held overhead to capture some of the experience that the show would provide.

Tapping bassist and harmonica player Antonio Greger for the group’s live tour would be a stroke of genius as Milky Chance’s “Sweet Sun” would be the show’s eventual highlight. Greger’s infectious harmonica playing (worth a search on YouTube) during the track’s foot-stomping chorus would only amplify the performance of the other musicians on stage- leading to a particularly electrifying portion of the evening. Inevitably, “Stolen Dance” would close out the show’s main set, performed in a slightly different key but equally as lively and merry for everyone involved. The song’s initial chords in fact stopped some folks from leaving the venue dead in their tracks- only to have them return to the all-out dance party happening back inside of the Grand Ballroom.

Following a brief wait, the group returned for a fun two-song encore, highlighted by show closer “Down by the River” from the group’s most recent EP release. With only a handful of years experience under their belt, Milky Chance has already managed to piece together a command of their live performances, complemented by many of the bells and whistles best associated with that of a veteran act. With their next set of local shows slated for the Central Park SummerStage this coming July, this may have been the last opportunity to catch the band in such an intimate setting. Unless of course you have tickets for tonight’s show- in which case you get to re-live the same magic, all over again.

- Dave Gendelson