The following article was submitted by Toria Munoz:

As I entered New York venue, The Living Room, I couldn’t help but to feel that the location perfectly set the tone for the night. Looking around, I came to grips with the whereabouts of indie music lovers in the area and where they were on a Thursday night. Chairs of assorted sizes, jazzy blue background audio, and lighthearted nightlife conversation gave me a unique perspective of where so many aspiring musicians have performed. When I put my hands up against the curtain separating the bar from the stage, that’s when the real unveiling began. Great Elk graced the stage, and I was completely taken back by their amazing performance.

With their lead guitarist, Patrick Hay, expressing gratitude beforehand to the audience, they quickly began. Their set started off as I immediately felt at peace and listened intently to the Basile’s narratives. Lost love at sea, painful memories, and overall reflection and self-awareness were all touched upon in the set. I can imagine they draw inspiration from such pensive and lyrical groups as Bon Iver and The Decemberists. Their own musical blend is a melancholy dream-pop mixed with acoustic environments that mirror Iron and Wine’s unwavering calmness.

I was immediately drawn to the fact that slight taps, nods, and inflections made their transitions look effortless. Especially when considering the cause of their performance, a benefit to fundraise for the communities in Haiti, they played a deep, soulful, and thought-provoking set.