Review and Photos by Camille Germain
Neumos was a packed house for Covet on April 9th. Vibrating with anticipation, the audience was still feeling the highs of the band’s latest album release (catharsis) from two days prior. The room was filled from the back to the edges of the stage well before the show started.
Experimental four-piece, altopalo warmed up the crowd with their moody downtempo and genre-bending grooves as the first of two openers. Their chill, yet powerful stage presence was greeted with fans singing their words and dancing along to each of their songs.
The band was lit by mellow blue lighting with a few white streams filtered through, which matched their sound and aesthetic. altopalo might be stripped down in appearance, but are anything but in sound. Balancing hints of R&B, ambient, electronica, indie rock, and jazz, they delivered a deliberate and well crafted experience. During their set, they smiled often and even added a heartfelt Happy Birthday song to lead singer, Rahm Silverglade’s 100 year old grandpa that had the audience singing with them.
Contrasting the synth heavy first openers, Scarypoolparty sat alone with his guitar and microphone in gentle orange backlighting. This one-man band of Alejandro Aranda enthralled the audience with his intimate and mesmerizing sound. Each song was laced with an intricate dance along the fretboard and his powerful, yet gentle voice that echoed hauntingly throughout the entire venue.
Scarypoolparty might be one man, but he filled the room and held all the attention. Even with the shift in musical styles, he did not disappoint. He allowed the audience to connect emotionally with his singer-songwriter sadness and ability to showcase depth in his music.
Primed with new music and a fresh lineup, Covet hit the stage and took over the night. An already crowded room became almost impossible to move in once they started. The place lit up and everyone cheered for the three-piece to start.
Celebrating the release, Covet performed most of catharsis, and then seamlessly transitioned to songs from older albums and then back to catharsis with “catharsis” and “lovespell” for their encore. They carried everyone through an emotive journey with precision and elegance. Even with a new lineup, Covet has a connection with each other and that energy showed throughout their entire set.
Teamed with drummer Jessica Burdeaux and bassist Brandon Dove, Yvette Young’s calculated guitar riffs have a new groove. If songs like “firebird” are any indication, this band is heading in the right direction. It couldn’t have been made more clear by the packed venue on only their third stop on the Catharsis Tour.
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