On Saturday night, a crowd of mostly college kids packed The Vera Project, bustling around the venue’s indoor and outdoor art spaces as they waited in anticipation for the night’s upcoming acts to finish their sound checks. After a thirty-minute delay, concert-goers were let into Vera’s performance area, where stage lights had been dimmed to a deep purplish-blue, and the stage crowded with a profusion of instruments and sound equipment.
The first opener of the evening, electronic soloist wilsonthevolleyball (Wilson Rahn), bounded onto stage with an energy so palpable it was impossible for the crowd not to match his excitement. As Rahn transitioned between released and unreleased tracks, he took breaks to share his inspirations — such as Hot Topic and “Linkin Park energy” — for each track. Rahn’s performance, which never lost its air of undeniable joy, implored the crowd to feel and react to every sound wave. His charisma and earnest relatability allowed the audience to experience the music the way Rahn intended: cathartically.
Next up was neo-soul band and UW student group, i///u. The seven-piece, led by lead singer Katyrose Jordan, played a powerful setlist, blending some of its tracks together to form what became endless streams of cacophonous — but still harmonious — sounds. The band, which won MoPOP’s 2019 Sound Off! competition, has successfully distinguished itself in a music scene that remains dominated by indie and alt-rock acts. In addition to standard instruments like bass and drums, the musicians of i///u employ trumpets, saxophones, flutes, and keys to add a unique, wildly fun flavor to their already soulful sound.
Following these strong opening performances and a brief intermission (read: smoke break), main act Gypsy Temple took the stage. Before starting their set, the band was given a glowing introduction by their manager, who referenced Gypsy Temple’s rapid commercial success as a relatively new alt-rock group. The band, who recently added guitarist Martin Creed, then launched into its first track of the night, “2nd Place.”
Instantly, the energy of the room exploded as the crowd, which had already been electrified by the two openers, was brought to an even higher peak. Lead vocalist Cameron Lavi-Jones, who made sure to interact with his fellow musicians as he performed, sang with a forceful passion that his bandmates supported with animated instrumentation. Cellist Corey Cavazos, bassist Hamoon Milaninia, drummer Kai Hill, and Creed matched the intensity and spirit of Lavi-Jones in their playing, giving the already lively set a cohesive energy that the audience felt compelled to join in on.
Gypsy Temple, which just released its debut album, King Youngblood, on May 17th, played new and old tracks for the crowd gathered at Vera. When they reached the soaring, emotion-laden “Pick a Number,” the band called on its audience to join in on the resounding chorus: “my love, my love, my love / pick a number.” This connection between musicians and concert-goers remained strong throughout the band’s performance and reaffirmed the sense of community Gypsy Temple aims to foster between itself and its listeners.
Gypsy Temple brought the youthful, invigorating sounds of King Youngblood to The Vera Project, giving its fans the chance to viscerally experience the album through the band’s high energy, interactive performance style. The show was a consistently good time and left concertgoers with the feeling that they had not only listened to a band play, but had somehow been an integral part of the performance themselves.
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