| The Naked + Famous, XYLØ, and The Chain Gang of 1974 | Concert Review
On November 7th, 2016, The Chain Gang of 1974 started off the night with their high energy singles and matching stage presence. The venue, Newport Music Hall, provided an intimate experience for the concert-goers and performers. The architecture of "America's Longest Continually Running Rock Club" was astounding - ornate with cathedral ceilings and intricate designs. The singer of the Chain Gang of 1974, Kamtin Mohager, swiftly moved about the stage, making me wonder how he wasn't too out of breath to actually sing. The band performed songs such as "I Still Wonder," "Sleepwalking," and even one that is not yet released.
The brother/sister duo, XYLØ, is comprised of Paige Duddy and Chase Duddy, whose music style shares similarities to Lana Del Rey, yet with a more electronic twist. (Take a listen to their song "America" and you'll know what I mean). Paige Duddy came on stage sporting an Ohio State University sweatshirt, which was a nod to the university that is in close proximity to the venue. The crowd seemed to be quite engaged in the electronic/pop songs, and Paige did a great job of keeping that energy up in the crowd throughout the set.
By the end of the night, when The Naked and Famous was due to come on stage, the crowd had almost doubled. I didn't even try to emerge from the crowd to explore the venue more - I would have never gotten back in. So, I patiently waited to hear what song TNAF chose to start their set with.
The New Zealand natives surpassed all of my expectations by choosing "The Water Beneath You" as their opening song - the powerful bass and quick tempo got the crowd hyped immediately. Their recent hit, "Higher" quickly followed what I would call The Perfect Opening Song.
I think that anyone in the crowd that night would agree with me when I say that not only did TNAF provide an amazing concert, but they also had a perfectly-timed light show throughout. The entire band wore very neutral colors on stage, which allowed the bright lights not to clash. Red and blue hues flashed on stage at various times, which I believed paid homage to their 2016 album cover of Simple Forms. Later in the night, during the song "No Way," they replaced the epic buildup at the chorus with soft notes on the piano and corresponding bursts of light.
It has been a dream of mine to see my favorite song of all time, "Young Blood" in concert. And on November 7th, 2016, that dream was fulfilled. Obviously they saved this as their second to last song of the night, since it's their most well-known song. Before the song began, Alisa of TNAF told the crowd that she loves it when they sing along with her. So, I sang along here and there, but I mostly wanted to listen to her sing it. I wanted to remember those three minutes - and the rest of the night - in my mind, forever.