It’s not often that I see big-name acts in concert. The largest of these in recent years was Kacey Musgraves, maybe four or five years back. Prior to that, I had seen Yellowcard play a festival as a child. Last year, I ended up catching Emery on their 20-year anniversary tour of The Question. And yesterday, I happened to catch Joywave – a band I’m admittedly not all too familiar with but who boasts of over 1.3 million Spotify listeners. That’s a pretty big deal, and suffice to say that the room was packed with (mostly respectful) people who came to sing their hearts out. I, however, was actually there primarily to see little image, who I had first discovered years ago during their Musings era (and which I reviewed here).

Because my friends and I arrived early at the Vinyl Music Hall, we were able to secure a spot right up front, just behind the die-hards. By the time we left, there was a wall of people behind us packing the room. A few troublemakers were booted between bands to much applause, and the night was largely a shared experience of appreciating some wonderful artists.

Glazed Eyes

Glazed Eyes combines the sounds of grunge and shoegaze, sprinkling in just a little bit of Midwest emo. Fans of Tiny Moving Parts, Silversun Pickups, Smashing Pumpkins, and Sonority Noise will feel right at home. They’re what I’ve become to describe as “happy sad music” – their lyrics are sentimental but their music remains fun and upbeat. I’ve had the pleasure catching them before, and while they weren’t necessarily what I would have expected as an opener based off the other bands’ stronger pop leanings, the audience seemed to not notice nor mind any potential mismatch.

little image

When I reviewed little image’s latest record, I noted that I was a bit disappointed in what I considered to be some degree of artistic compromise in the favor of a pop sound. But seeing them live, I can clearly say this: little image is still very much a rock band. I’m always fascinated by how the energy of a band can differ substantially from their recordings to their shows, but let it be known all members were on point. Frontman Jackson Simmons’ acrobatics on stage, juggling two separate microphones and even retuning his guitar mid-song, were impressive. Brandon Walter’s bass and synth grooves were locked in. Troy Bruner’s energy behind the kit was indomitable, and, with his position close to the stage, he seemed to be the band’s hypeman. At one point, Bruner even made his way into the crowd to play a marching band-type drum held up by the audience members while Simmons took his place at the main kit. It’s moments like these that prove immersive for the audience and truly augment the experience. While the trio mostly played through their new material, I was pleased to see that they did resurface “Bottles” for the OGs like myself. I couldn’t help but sing along. My one complaint is that they did not play “CLEAN,” which is arguably my favorite song of their from this current era.

Joywave

Funnily enough, this was the band I had the least experience with. Prior to the show, I was looking at their Spotify with my friends and was surprised when I discovered how unfamiliar the titles were to me. My guess is I’d accidentally confused them with Day Wave or any number of other bands that have “wave” in their names. But sometimes going in blind isn’t bad. The band is celebrating the tenth anniversary of their first album, and they weren’t shy to note that this feat is something most bands don’t accomplish (recently, I’ve recognized many of my favorite artists never made it past their sophomore LPs). I didn’t know the songs. I didn’t sing along. But the energy was obviously, with frontman Daniel Armbruster traversing the stage with incredible speed and confidence. To his left were the melodic parts – guitar and keys. To his right was the rhythmic enterprise behind the Joywave experience. There was an inflated cat, too. It’s certainly interesting having the drums so close to the front, but it’s clear that this was not the kind of energy Joywave would want to hide. The group played through hits, rarities, and more, and while I’m not sure how much of a Joywave fan I’m destined to become, I can’t deny they put on a heck of a show.