After a strangely sparse crowd the last time I was at Maxwell’s, it was great to get back to the famed Hoboken venue for a completely sold out show.
Kicking off the tour that night, Miniature Tigers definitely upped the attendance record. Songs off their quirky and carefree Fortress album are a bit more subdued in person, but enthralling nonetheless. Their sound is whimsical and fun, mixing acoustic strumming with marching beats and experimental synth lines. Charlie Brand was a sweet and humble front man, chatting graciously with the crowd between songs, indulging a few intoxicated fan requests and coming off stage for “Gold Skull” to share the mic with fans during the chorus.
Enzymes – Freelance Whales (Free Download)
For many, the closest thing to seeing Freelance Whales live has been finding footage of them using NYC streets and subway stations as their own personal venues. This time, they took to a real stage, playing to a tightly packed audience there to witness the magic of their set. The multi-talented quintet brought their Weathervanes tracks to life with a flurry of activity between banjo, mandolin, harmonium, glockenspiel and a whole gamut of other instruments. A beautiful, standout moment was watching Kevin Read play his guitar with an orchestral bow during the song “Ghosting,” and both “Generator ^ First Floor” and “Generator ^ Second Floor” had fans excitingly captivated. Their experimental pop is somber and powerful, but still holds a sense of hope and wonder with the unbelievable harmonies of Judah Dadone and Doris Cellar.
This stellar tour is making its way all over these great United States for the next month and will find its way back to the NYC area for a final show at Webster Hall on December 15th… snag your tickets now, because I wouldn’t be surprised if that one sells out too!
Until then, you can get your hands on their new song “Enzymes” for free from Green Label Sound!
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The following video was our first ever video posted on the site eight months ago. Pretty sloppy on our part, we know!
