Last night at Bowery Electric was the first real show I’ve been to in a year and a half, and it was the best comeback I could have asked for!
NYC indie project Slow Fiction started off the night with the perfect amount of quiet confidence that means they won’t be an opening act for long. Every member of the band looked like they were having the time of their lives as the lead singer’s velvet vocals scrawled cheeky vocals in stylized purple pen over loaded instrumentals. The combination of buttery percussion, sunny guitar tones, and full-bodied bass made Slow Fiction one of the best opening bands I’ve seen in a long time.
Also a special shout out to Julia, whose witchy punk manic dream girl vibes 100% made every girl in the audience want to be her bff!
Headliner Carver Commodore, an alt rock band from Alabama, brought the already-high energy up to the ceiling with hit tracks like “Black Plastic” and a reimagined cover of Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy” that even threatened to create a mini mosh pit at one point!
With an outstanding drummer at the helm, Carver Commodore served up a set that stayed tight without being over-practiced. The solid lock between drummer and bassist created an unbreakable foundation for zippy guitar lines and dense keyboard to add a sense of full freshness through each deep, groovy transition. Throughout every song, strong, rippling lead vocals were supported by skillfully sonorous backups that showed just how much powerful harmonies can be.
Carver Commodore’s alternatingly dreamy, rolling keyboard and tight, punchy picked basslines made it easy to let yourself be guided into oblivion, only to be dragged back to reality by laughter between songs as the band’s stage presence shined (a mini-cover of Sweet Home Alabama, anyone?!).
Each of the band’s originals felt unique but cohesive, an impressive feat from their first single, “Stars and Galaxies,” through their more recent tracks like “Tell Me What You Want.”
Inspired by a stalker character, “Can’t Stay Away” was a genius alternative to the classic love song that got the crowd singing the catchy chorus right back at the stage, even after just learning the words.
With a mix of unique chord progressions and classics made new, Carver Commodore has mastered the space between alternative dreams and raucous, unrelenting rock. If you love bands like The Stolen, Normandie, and Royal Blood, Carver Commodore is the secret weapon that will round out your perfect playlist.
