The team at Communion gathered a line-up of very talented yet relatively unknown musicians to play at Public Assembly for its  Brooklyn launch party on Sunday night. The concept for this event came from Benjamin Lovett (of Mumford and Sons), Kevin Jones (of Cherbourg), and producer Ian Grimble who wanted to give new bands in London the opportunity to perform. The monthly shows Communion organized there gained rapid popularity within a relatively short period of time, and the community of musicians involved expanded as well. This format is now being implemented worldwide with the first American community in Brooklyn.

Simone Felice was first to play for the night. The singer accompanied himself on guitar and performed songs that sounded as though they were written decades ago. His voice was soft and sincere.  His storytelling lyrics were poetic and displayed humility, speaking of the contemplation of life and dealing with everyday human emotion. The simplicity of Felice’s music, lyrics, and actual performance drew the audience in, making the industrialized looking venue seem cozy and more intimate.

Pearl and the Beard, a Brooklyn based trio with guitar, cello, and percussion, had endless crowd-pleasers in their set, particularly “Volcano” featuring the sultry vocals of cellist Emily Hope. The band’s percussionist Jocelyn and guitarist Jeremy, had not only amazing voices, but likable and friendly personalities that the crowd simply ate up. The band used a variety of instruments along the way, such as glockenspiel and kazoo, which added just the right amount of quirk to their already fantastic set. Also, the trio’s three part harmonies had a vast assortment of sounds from Americana to Jazz to Folk music with a bit of soul. The groups’ ability to display different types of styles with only a few instruments makes one curious to see what other types of songs they have up their musical sleeves.

Rather than accompanying himself on guitar like other singer/songwriters, Marques Toliver accompanied himself on violin or auto-harp (small, flat harp played on the lap) for the night. Toliver’s voice was the epitome of pure and could have been easily appreciated even without Public Assembly’s sound system. Toliver’s music has endless musical possibilities to be more instrumentally elaborate, but the simplicity of having one small instrument accompany him made the ears focus on his flawless, pitch perfect voice. Toliver is an R&B artist that provides an alternative and refreshing approach to the genre that has become one-track minded in recent years. His lyrics painted stories that triggered self-reflection, while his nonchalant and friendly personality made his set very relaxed and chill.

The clear wild card of the night was Emil & Friends. After following the flawless vocals and lullaby like performance of Marques Toliver, Pearl and the Beard, and Simone Felice, many eyes and ears were not sure what to think of the quintet. At first, lead singer Emil’s high pitched shrills, quivers and awkward choreography backed by mid-tempo rhythms seemed out of place for Communion’s lineup. After a moment, though, I concluded that Emil & Friends thankfully does not take themselves seriously: Emil stripped down into a superhero costume that was tight in all the wrong places, the keyboardist was sporting goggles, and the guitarist was wearing Native American headgear. This realization made the set much more enjoyable. The highlight of their set as a three song medley consisting of “Twist & Shout,” Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back,” and a song by the rapper Twista. Following with a funky, danceable ode to a specially made sandwich, Emil stripped down again into a frumpy Spiderman costume, complete with a Dracula cape. After taking in Emil & Friends, it was evident that Communion also appreciated a bit of humor and fun in their lineup.

Alex Winston was last on for the night and delivered a fierce performance. Joined by her backup singers she lovingly referred to as her “Sister Wives”, along with keyboard, guitar, bass, and drums, Winston performed upbeat indie pop songs with colorful lyrics. The petite singer dressed in black exhibited the most dynamic stage presence of the night, belting out high notes, falling to her knees, and beating her microphone stand to its death during her song “Sister Wife,” which told of the daily complications of a polygamous marriage. Winston took control of Communion’s audience by either telling them to clap during upbeat songs or to shut up during her slower ones. Despite her demanding stage personality, she also showed her softer side by constantly thanking her band and the crowd for simply being there.

All of the artists had their own way of connecting with the audience, whether it be through subtle eye contact and a smile or shouting commands to those in front. There were moments it was so quiet during a performance that a vibrating cell phone was heard in the pocket of an audience member. Other times they clapped, danced, and sang loudly along with the performers with a signature Communion Cocktail drink in hand. All in all, those in attendance completely understood and appreciated the mission of Communion’s creators and were truly integral to the success of that night. The range of artists chosen makes it hard to pinpoint who they’ll feature in their future shows, leaving a rare element of surprise. The next New York Communion takes place January 30 at Public Assembly.