The Sunset hosted a sold out show on Friday night that was stacked with Seattle indie-pop talent. Datenite and Crystal & Quiet teamed up with Carlene Crawford & The City Lights to celebrate the releases of Datenite’s The Sleepover EP and Crystal & Quiet’s Sun Balloon.
Opening the bill to an already full house at 9:00 p.m., Carlene Crawford & The City Lights quickly commanded attention with bassist Dan Ryan and drummer Chris D’Abreau building a compelling foundation for Crawford’s warm keys and vocals. The band was locked in for the majority of the 40+ minute set and hit full stride as Crawford led the audience through a call and response during “Gemini,” before unveiling a strong live debut of an unreleased song titled “Letting Go.”
The venue was so full by the end of Crawford’s set that I hardly had a chance to squeeze my way out to the front bar before Datenite took the stage. Fronted by the lush vocal duo of Anna Steinle and Caroline Calaway, the five-piece — which also consists of Phil Hamilton on drums, Garrett Parker (of Pickwick) on bass, and Jonny Riede making his Datenite debut on guitar — delved directly into the collection of songs on The Sleepover EP. The evolution of the Datenite ensemble has been striking; since the release of their single “Lonesome Blues” last year, they’ve grown from a three-piece while staying true to their vocal-centric, synth-pop sensibilities.
Midway through the set, Datenite settled into a brooding version of “Too Close.” Presenting a sparser arrangement than many of their other songs, the band provided space for the soaring harmonies of Steinle and Calaway to fully flourish, while Hamilton drove the yearning emotion forward via shaker and tasteful electro-percussion accents. Later on in the set (after their signature date story intermission), Calaway displayed poise and experience by coolly navigating a mid-song stop to request more bass in the mix of what was ultimately a stunning cover of Phosphorescent’s “Song for Zula.” Parker’s bass tone was so rich that this volume adjustment provided a welcomed boost of energy as Datenite closed out their set with prowess, prior to Crystal & Quiet taking the stage.
Before Friday, I was only loosely familiar with Crystal & Quiet’s music, having briefly heard their 2016 singles “Tell Me” and “Lion’s Share.” I took some time to stream Sun Balloon before attending the show, and I was immediately drawn in by the smooth production, colorful chord progressions, and captivating vocal delivery. As Crystal & Quiet eased into their first few songs at The Sunset, I was pleased to find the live renditions were even more appealing when driven by the impressive rhythm combo of drummer Jesse Moffat and percussionist Abraham Neuwelt. This energy lifted the delicate nature of the recordings into high-energy, soul-tinged jams, all complimented by multi-instrumentalists Ian Holsteen on keys and electronics, and Dave Chapaitis on keys and guitar. The execution and dynamic nature of the band only seemed to fuel the charm of vocalist Gabe Much, who also casually switched on and off bass guitar throughout the night.
Standout tracks from the set included “stilled and quieted” and the title-track “sun balloon,” as well as a blistering cover of Jimi Hendrix’s “Fire,” in which Chapaitis let loose on lead guitar. The band seamlessly transitioned between upbeat sections and gentler soundscapes, allowing Much to lean into varying vocal styles in addition to his core melodic role; at times he delivered heartfelt spoken word, while at other times he fully rapped intricate verses over the band. The subdued hip-hop influence was fully realized towards the end of the set, when local rapper BlkSknn joined the band for a cameo verse during “Tell Me.” BlkSknn’s cool and collected style nicely juxtaposed Much’s emotive vocals as the two played off each other’s presence and energy. Upon closing their set, Crystal & Quiet drew immediate encore calls from the crowd and returned as a duo for an intimate version of “Lion’s Share.” The full band then joined Much and Chapaitis onstage for one last song to captivate the audience’s attention well past midnight.
From an outsider’s perspective, it’s worth noting that an inspired artistic force felt palpable between Much and Chapaitis (who produced, engineered, and co-wrote Sun Balloon) in the best possible way. Between that creative power, the flawless execution of the band, and the charisma and thoughtfulness of Much’s delivery and writing, the ceiling looks high for Crystal & Quiet.
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