Kaleo Concert Review

As soon as the Crystal Ballroom lit up its marquis on Monday, October 24th, the crowd went wild with anticipation. In less than an hour, the concert would be underway. The excitement of seeing The Wind and The Wave, Bishop Briggs, and Kaleo all in one night was tangible in the cool, sweet, fall air as we waited in line to enter the venue. As soon as we began the ascent to the legendary Crystal I started to feel the pre-concert adrenaline rush that comes with every live performance. I could barely contain myself as my companions and I made our way to the stage, snagging a prime spot in the first two rows. Then we had to practice our patience as we waited for the show to start.
The Wind and The Wave, a duo from Austin, opened the show with powerful music from their new album “Happiness Is Not a Place,” as soon as they played the first chord the entire house erupted in cheering and applause. The folksy, alternative vibes that this band was emitting were greatly appreciated by the crowd and the whole set had a very sweet and wholesome undertone that brought some Americana to their rock sound. Songs like “Happiness Is Not A Place”, and “Let’s Forget That I Was Ever Even Here” encouraged me to seek out more of their music after the concert and gave me a wonderful energy for the rest of the concert.
After a twenty-minute set change, the enigmatic Bishop Briggs slid onstage in a most mesmerizing haze of red light that perfectly captured her alternative and mysterious personality. She started with her single “Pray” and had the audience hanging on every word. Her performance was a contrast to the act we just saw, and in the most unusual way, they complimented each other quite nicely. The alternative darkness of Bishop was still so lively and energetic that it added quite a different and fun flavor to the event. I loved getting to see her perform because she was so visibly a part of her music in a magical way. Check out her other singles “River” and “Wild Horses”.
Another set change and the headliners graced the stage. The Icelandic rock band has gained a large following in the U.S. over the past year and they have created a variety of songs that show their musical prowess and dexterity. They began with their popular song “I Can’t Go On Without You” which begins with JJ Julius Son whistling. As soon as Son began whistling his tune the crowd went wild, the seamless blend of sweet whistling with rock and roll was the perfect way to begin their set. As the night wore on there were many songs were brought to life by this talented band in a way that only happens with live music.Numerous times during their set I could feel their bass not only in my bones but on my skin, making my hair stand on edge in the most fun way. Before their encore, they played “vor í vaglaskógi”, their only song in Icelandic, and were able to communicate a subtlety and softness that greatly differed from songs such as “Way Down We Go” that I grasped how magical and special music can be to communicate emotions to a massive amount of people. And that for me was what made this concert so enriching and wonderful.
Live music is something that people should experience in high dosages, frequently and this showed me how vital to living live music is. Because music is for everyone to make, to hear, and most importantly to feel.