The final synths slowly faded out and people just looked around each other in complete awe before a deafening cheer filled the space.

After a three-month tour around Europe, English band White Lies came to Boston to showcase their heavy, ethereal, and hauntingly beautiful post-punk sound to a sold-out show at the Sinclair. With a setlist including tracks from their latest release 

as well as numerous anthems from their other acclaimed albums, the band poured their hearts and souls out onstage to a crowd that enthusiastically approved of everything they performed.

The Sinclair is my favorite venue in Boston for two reasons: the sound system is magnificent, and the opening acts are always great. For this occasion, local band pushflowers did an excellent job in setting the vibe with their effortless and playful style. Their musical chemistry is equally as good as their chemistry on stage. With constant communication, a couple of jokes and feel good indie pop/rock, pushflowers gave way to the main act.

“Time to Give,” the first song off their new album was the first White Lies performed. The profound 80’s style vocals from Harry McVeigh worked like magic, entrancing the whole crowd during the sentimental beat-less intro of the song. When the drums and bass-work of Jack Lawrence-Brown and Charles Cave came in, there was no turning back. It was a strong and dramatic start to the show. They kept diving into the dark Goth-pop that has always been present in their music with songs like ‘Farewell to the Fairground’ and “There Goes Our Love Again.” But it was “Hold Back Your Love” here the full nostalgic intensity came into play. With a much brighter and melancholic feel, the crowd seemed looser and more energetic, with nothing but smiles on their faces. 

It is important to mention how emotionally packed their music and lyrics are. They sing about life and death, love and hate, certainty, instability, happiness, overthinking and everything else that makes us human. It is all about balance. A part of the lyrics of one of their most famous songs, “Death,” which they played exquisitely goes like this: “I live on the right side, I sleep in the left, that’s why everything’s gotta be love or death.”

Just before their encore, White Lies played their hits “BIG TV” and “To Lose My Life,” which were definite highlights from the show. The crowd sang every single lyric while cuing every part of the songs with their heads, hands and fingers. Jack Lawrence-Brown played particularly passionately during these two tunes. 

After the first encore, something really unexpected happen. Harry came out and told the crowd he was going to play a song by himself. He sat at the keyboard and started playing the haunting and evocative notes of “Change.” It was such an unexpected turn to the show, which up to that moment it had been songs filled with instruments. It was such a magical moment; I’m sure the whole crowd wouldn’t have mind if it lasted for 5 more minutes. The final synths slowly faded out and people just looked around each other in complete awe before a deafening cheer filled the space.

They wrap up their performance with two more songs: “Fire & Wings” and “Bigger Than Us.” The former is one of their most distinct songs from their whole catalog of music. It feels like a heavy rock ballad from the 80’s, which was the perfect way to end an unforgettable performance.

Ten years have gone by since White Lies released their first album back in 2009. Their sound has definitely evolved, but the feel is still the same. They have been progressing masterfully without ever letting go of their true self, which is strongly conveyed through the new material in their latest album and their live performance. If you’re interested in listening to their new combination of sounds, give 

White Lies bring their post-punk sound to Cambridge

WRBB’s Martin Gutierrez was down in Austin for SXSW last month. Here’s his take on some of the great music the festival had to offer!

There are a lot of great things to say about South by Southwest in Austin, but nothing is more special than having the chance to see so many impressive musicians leaving their hearts and souls at the different stages around the city. As a first timer I was overwhelmed at all the different acts I got to see during seven days, so choosing the top five performances is not an easy task. Nevertheless, here they are, in no particular order:

This was the only show I saw sitting down in a room of no more than 50 people in the prestigious Victorian Room. It was actually great to be sitting down for once; it gave me the chance to admire the complete set of the talented musicians that form Suzan Köcher. The beautiful yet haunting melodies that make up their psychedelic folk-rock rumbled gently while the singer’s ethereal voice filled the whole room with pure delight. Best song of the performance: Peaky Blinders

Singer-songwriter Chazwick Bradley Bundick aka Toro y Moi performs in concert at Emo’s on May 20, 2015 in Austin, Texas. Photo courtesy Rick Kern for WireImage

The first live show I got to see was from Toro & Moi, who played in an outdoor space right next to the highway. From groovy funk tunes to slow hip-hoppy songs, the American and his multi-talented band created a perfect ambiance for everyone in the crowd. Best song of the performance: Ordinary Pleasure

The Bright Light Social Hour. Photo courtesy World Cafe.

From all the venues in Austin, the outdoor stage in Cheer Up Charlie’s had the best sound system, and the local band Bright Light Social Hour took full advantage of this. Their mesmeric and spacey rock generated nothing but joy and good vibes. With numerous twists and turns, all of the songs they performed had something very special in them, and they played them with pure energy. Best song of the performance: She Wanna Love You

Just when I told myself it was time to get some rest, I saw a big group of four girls wearing the same pink top and pink pants getting on stage with their guitars. I said I would hear one song to see what their music was all about and leave. Believe me when I say it was impossible not to stay for the whole set. Their sound and technique were so good that they had everyone at the palm of their hand dancing to their electric and heavy mix of pop and rock. Best song of the performance: Fashionista

The Black Angels. Photo courtesy The Black Angels.

Strobe lights, a lot of smoke, and never-ending hard psychedelic rock blasting on the speakers of a murky venue. What else can you ask for? Best song of the performance: Entrance song

WRBB @ SXSW: Top 5 Performances

There was a curious long queue outside Brighton Music Hall on February 7th. David August, the electronic music producer and composer from Hamburg, had managed to sell out the venue for the first gig of his North American tour. The impatient enthusiasm inside all of us waiting in line started to mutate into slight anxiety when a spacey, almost cinematic combination of sounds started bursting through the open door. It was the intro to ‘Narciso,’ the first track of his latest album 

. David August had just started, and the bouncers were trying to jam everyone in.

The place was comfortably packed with an atmosphere of rapture. The vintage light bulbs that provided the lighting were at their lowest intensity, strengthening this feeling and making you focus to the front of the venue. Just a few feet off the floor stood a stoic David August, surrounded by his elaborate machinery and hazy light beams, immersed in his own world.

After setting the mood with the first and second track, it was easy to notice that people were there to have a good time. Everyone cheered with a smile on their faces waiting for the next one to start, but the musician was taking his time. With delicate yet trippy synth sounds floating in the background, he started doing an abstract solo on what sounded like a harpsichord which highlighted how much of a musical genius he is. Everything that was happening in between songs was a combination of classical music and modern electronica, which portrayed his outstanding knowledge in music production. This was actually something unexpected and totally new; he has always been known for his never-ending live sets where songs melt with each other through beats. The German musician was actually giving each song its own special moment, but the long and dreamy transitions didn’t have the effect he was probably expecting. The night turned into a social gathering, where you could hear most of the people in the crowd chatting, while David August played his heart out on stage.

There were two special moments though, where he did take control of the night. The first one was when he played ‘33Chants,’ one of the best and most upbeat songs in the album. He took over the microphone while playing two synths at the same time and laid out an impressive amount of energy. This was definitely the highlight of the night. Up to the end, he took a guitar out of nowhere and started ‘True Heart,’ which brought back the same remarkable atmosphere from the beginning of the night.

It is important to point out that the structure of the sound system in Brighton Music Hall did not help. For live electronic concerts, it is essential to have a system that encloses the space, not just speakers in the front. On another note, it was great to know that so many people were there to witness a live act that is still on the realms of underground electronic music. If this review made you curious of the music of David August, do check out his latest album 

David August shows off complex musicianship at Brighton Music Hall

The saying goes: “The French do it better.” Well, French duo Polo & Pan definitely do. Their sold out night at Brighton Music Hall was a demonstration of the emotional power behind their joyous, tropical-infused electronica.

The night was all about the “French touch.” It felt as if I was back in Europe; I could hear people speaking elegantly in French while having their drinks just before the duo appeared on stage. Paul Armand-Delille and Alexandre Grynszpan showed up waving their hands to the cheerful crowd and got right to it. Their successful debut album 

begins with the trippy and playful intro ‘Abysse,’ which also inaugurated their elaborate set. The track starts with random sweeps and bell sounds that build up into a melodic piece. It is great when artists make this approach of enclosing the crowd with a beat-less intro; it is a way of saying “we are here, welcome to our world.” With the attendants bewitched, Polo & Pan continued with ‘Aqualand’ which gave way to solid beats and dreamy vocals. People seemed to be forgetting their troubles, hips swaying and arms high in the air.

There is a reason why a hit is a hit; why some songs are more popular than others. The duo’s debut album had several, and to listen to them live was very special. When the French started playing the guitar sample of the bossa-nova melody with which ‘Canopée’ starts with, I understood that this was undoubtedly the most anticipated song in the set. The downtempo groove and captivating female vocals make this a captivating track, and the great soundscape in Brighton Music Hall made it even more entrancing. The super catchy ‘Nana’ was another great moment: Polo & Pan sampled the vocals in this track from a song from Brazilian band Os Tincoãs, and created a romantic masterpiece out of it. Even though these two songs were certainly the highlights of the night for the crowd, it is worth mentioning the effect that ‘Rivolta,’ their debut single, had in the overall presentation. It is an upbeat song with a grungy bass-line that made everyone dance like crazy since it began. The great thing about the song is the drop in the middle, where the speed of the song starts decreasing gradually. Once the beat drops, the song becomes a downtempo track with a whole new vibe. The reaction this change had on the crowd was precious. Some cheered, some screamed, and some danced with their eyes closed.

Polo & Pan didn’t say much during their performance. It seems they know pretty well that their music does all the talking. Still, it is necessary to point out that for it to be a live performance, it surely needed more live music making. They sing from time to time and use their synths and drum machine, but the use of samples and DJing was most of the performance. Their original recordings are full of clever melodies and drum-work, which would’ve have been great to see them do some of that right there on the spot. Nevertheless, it was a wonderful night both for the crowd and the French duo. If after reading this you’re interested in hearing some of their music, do check out their album 

 as well as their live performance for Cercle in 

Polo & Pan bring their delicate French touch to Brighton Music Hall

The line outside The Sinclair spread around the block. Everyone seemed thrilled to be close to George van den Broek, the 19-year old behind Yellow Days. Once inside the packed venue, the eagerness of the crowd grew even more to the point of becoming almost palpable. The golden lights on stage made a sudden yet elegant transition to a hazy blue as the members of the opening act MorMor plugged in their instruments and started to hypnotize the crowd. Little did everyone know that they would do such an outstanding job of setting the atmosphere with their romantic and moody indie-rock vibes.

After MorMor finished their last song, it wasn’t even 10 minutes before van den Broek and his band were getting up on stage. Wearing off-yellow colored overalls, he looked up with hazy eyes to the public and whispered a modest “Hi” before kicking things off with ‘The Way Things Change,’ one of his latest singles. I was impressed to see so many people in the crowd screaming the lyrics and dancing to the natural groove of the first couple of songs. ‘So Terrified of Your Own Mind’ was when the real magic began. The singer’s euphonic and raspy voice resonated through The Sinclair while he stroked delightful and emotional melodies with his baby-blue guitar. The crowd was no longer singing along; they were entranced by the graceful quality of the music while the rays of the dimmed lights and the smoke on stage created an otherworldly atmosphere.

The style of Yellow Days has been slowly blending into a type of modern jazz-infused rock, which was represented through several songs during the show. The band played with such effortless elegance in ‘What’s It All For’ which made it impossible for the crowd to ignore. George van den Broek also showed his vintage soul roots when he covered Etta James’ ‘I’d Rather Go Blind,’ which I believed to be the highlight of the night. The crowd cheered blissfully as the band gave their most energetic and passionate performance while the 19-year-old sang his heart out.

Van den Broek has a great presence on stage. He made the audience laugh several times with cheeky inquiries like ‘anyone out there smoke weed?’ He really gave people what they were looking for: excellent music and a good time. His talent is unquestionable; he is one of those artists that emulates vocals reminiscent of those on the actual recordings.

The band said their goodbyes by playing the joyous and reverb-filled track ‘A Bag of Dutch’ from their album 

After a long round of applause, the singer waved happily for a couple of seconds, unplugged his guitar and got off stage. Yellow Days left everyone with a smile on their faces, and left me speechless by the superior quality of music I had just experienced. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for him. Only time will tell, but his potential for musical grandeur is unmistakable.

Yellow Days mesmerize crowd at the Sinclair

It was a Tuesday night on the tail end of a dreadful storm. A cool breeze flowed through the empty streets of Allston, making it feel like a ghost town with the Great Scott as its graveyard. The venue was empty with no sign of recovery, and it felt awkward being part of an audience of only a handful of people, waiting for more to show up. But as Pink Floyd underlines in 

, “The show must go on.” André Obin, a local artist with international recognition in the underground electronic music scene, kicked things off with an immersive live set filled with beautiful melodies and a special energy that would’ve sounded even better if the venue was packed. Same goes for the eclectic Brooklyn-based duo Haulm, who offered an interesting live performance composed of solid beats, ambient synths and maybe a bit too many falsettos.

When Zimmer finally stepped up on stage, there were only 10 people there to watch him play. “Come closer together, let’s get personal,” he uttered, before starting his set. Through a blend of pre-recorded stems, live synth-work and an improvised use of drum-machines, the French producer created an atmospheric and emotional world for the lucky few that came out that night. The lighting design added a lot to the experience, making it feel as if the stage was a spaceship and Zimmer was on the controls. I also want to highlight the moment when he played his latest single ‘Wildflowers.’ It’s such a great track, and he made it sound even better by showing his skills on all the fancy goodies that surrounded him. Despite the small crowd, he managed to make everyone dance through his musical compositions that ranged from down-tempo electronica to upbeat deep house.

The music performed throughout the night was elegant and of excellent quality overall, and it’s sad that there were so few people to witness it. On top of that, Great Scott is more of a rock venue – the sound system didn’t fit for the characteristics of the music, and the interior design with the bar, TVs, and general layout felt awkward. It could have been that people just didn’t feel like going out on that stormy night, and not that the venue and artists weren’t appealing, but something is for certain: the underground electronic music scene hasn’t yet found its place in Boston.

Zimmer gets personal at Great Scott

October 9, 2018 will always be remembered as a day of “firsts.” It was my first time in the glorious House of Blues in Boston, and my first time experiencing the exhilarating music of Thievery Corporation live. At the same time, it was also the first stop of their 

tour. What an honor it was to have been involved in such a mythical and powerful night where music was the main source of happiness for every single soul present.

The venue was filled three quarters of the way with a particularly older crowd that shared a sense of joy that was almost palpable. But this collective excitement went numb when one of the various vocalists of the band, Bostonian Mr. Lif came to the front of the stage and shared the sad news that Julian Marley, meant to open the night, would not be able to perform due to a family emergency, and he instructed the crowd to focus all their energy and good vibes into his well-being.

Minutes later, Rob Garza, one of the founding members of the multi-genre duo, appeared on stage with his band members and the thrill erupted once more. They kicked off with the instrumental piece ‘The Forgotten People’ with such magnificence that the crowd’s reaction was immediate. Everyone in the floor and mezzanine levels of the venue were dancing at their own pace but to the same groove.

The depth displayed in their performance was one of a kind. They brought five vocalists with them, and each one displayed their own unique style through the coalition of electronica with Jamaican, Arabian, Brazilian and Indian sounds, all of which characterize the music of Thievery Corporation. One by one, each singer took over the stage, demonstrating their abilities while backed by a group of incredible musicians. The old-roots-reggae singer Raquel Jones set the bar high with her energetic grace on ‘Letter to the Editor.’ Mr. Lif gave credence of his title of real MC when the band performed ‘Ghetto Matrix.’ He involved the crowd with countdowns and special mentions, adding just more fuel to the fire of excitement burning at the House of Blues. Originally from St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, the talented Puma created one of the highlights of the night when the hit ‘Amerimacka’ was brought to life with his vocal performance. Born in Argentina, singer Natalia Clavier made an incredible impression as well. She hypnotized the crowd during her performance of ‘Until The Morning’ with her gentle dancing and singing while soft-colored lights enclosed her silhouette in an almost ritualistic manner. It was a moment that everyone seemed to enjoy.

Regardless of all these tremendously talented vocalists, it is essential to highlight the vintage, angelic voice of LouLou Ghelichkhani. For me, her voice is one of the main reasons why Thievery Corporation’s music is so powerful. She made part of the performance of ‘La Force de Melodie’ from their latest album 

which added a very special freshness and elegance to the overall vibe of the show. Most importantly, she gave her all while performing ‘Sweet Tides,’ one of their biggest hits, which resonated beautifully throughout the venue during the encore.

It was incredible to get to see how the music that is originally created by two genius minds gets displayed live with an impressive line-up of musicians. Rob Garza leaded the whole show behind decks accompanied by Rob Myers (guitar/sitar), Hash (bass), Jeff Franca (drums) and Frank Orrall (percussion). It really was impressive to experience a show that featured so many different, talented performers.

Thievery Corporation kick off their tour at the House of Blues

While struggling to find my assigned seat on the floor of Agganis Arena, confused about why there were seats in the first place, I started getting a sense of positive anxiety that only comes when I know I’m in for something special. This was the first time I was equally excited for both the opening and main act of a concert, both coincidentally being from Texas. After releasing his second studio album in May, Leon Bridges has been showcasing his skills on his Good Thing tour in North America with different opening acts. For the Boston date, he brought trio Khruangbin, who are one of the greatest bands I’ve discovered in the last eighteen months.

Khruangbin’s set was the best part of the night, no doubt about it. The sound and the groove were perfect. I was astonished by all the pure and seductive melodies these three musicians were able to express through their craft. Each song gently made its way to the other while still managing to portray different emotional states. The smooth drumming of Donald Johnson, the lyrical style of Mark Speer’s guitar and the melodic delight of Laura Lee’s bass lines create one of the best sonic fusions in the modern music world. It’s important to highlight the moment when they played ‘Lady and Man’ from their latest album, Con Todo El Mundo. The multiple layers that the trio incorporated in the live version of the track went from a theatrical instrumental chunk to the funkiest jam session of their whole repertoire. It was something else, and I haven’t stopped listening to the song ever since.

The arena was at full capacity and full excitement when Leon Bridges and his band stepped on to the stage. Everyone finally ditched their seats and started feeling the vibe with a couple of great numbers including ‘Good Thing’ and ‘Coming Home’ while the 29-year-old from Fort Worth showed off his great dance moves. After a touching sing-along moment playing ‘Beyond,’ the most successful song of his latest album, things started to feel out of place. The dancing and running from one part of the stage to the other shadowed the music and started to get annoying, and he went from down tempo to upbeat tracks quite abruptly. Similarly, his latest album feels just like that, and I really didn’t connect with it as much as I did with his first.

Before his encore he performed ‘Lisa Sawyer’ and ‘Lions,’ which were highlights of the show. Both had great intros full of jazz improvisation, exposing the strong abilities of all band members and Bridges’ soulful voice. The best moment was when he sang ‘River’ alongside his female backup singer, Brittni Jessie. The original recording of the song is majestic, but hearing it live was breathtaking and inspiring. The gospel-like vibe expressed through this masterpiece was so emotional that the whole arena felt like a huge cathedral.

Still, I hope I get the chance to see Leon Bridges perform again in another type of venue. After seeing his performance in an indoor arena, I know that I would appreciate his energy more in an outdoor festival or in a medium sized venue. It just didn’t feel as personal as I wanted it to be. As for Khruangbin, they will be performing a sold-out at the Royale in December. For a glimpse of their brilliance, check out their 