By Maggie Peknic
On October 28th, The Backseat Lovers released their long-awaited sophomore album, Waiting to Spill. The album took three years in the making, and its release was met with much support as various listening parties took place in record stores across the country. One such listening party took place at Brooklyn’s Legacy Records. Two weeks later, The Backseat Lovers would be heard once again in Brooklyn. But it wouldn’t be over the wavelengths. This time, it would be live. On November 7th, The Backseat Lovers performed Waiting to Spill in its entirety for the first time ever at the Brooklyn Steel.
The vast, dark setting of the Brooklyn Steel resembles an expansive dark room stuck in a time warp. Despite its spacious floor, the venue felt narrow and cramped. The Backseat Lovers sold out the first leg of their Waiting to Spill Tour, resulting in numerous audience members bumping into one another at the Brooklyn show. Audience members were filled with nervous excitement as they squeezed their way to find the perfect spot. Many were simply trying to find a spot that allowed them to view the stage over the huddled group of tall men standing in the center of the venue (this is when I wish I wore my platform Doc Martens). Amongst the shifting of the crowd was opening act Bendigo Fletcher, whose indie rock setlist matched the vibes of The Backseat Lovers. While half the audience paid attention, Fletcher’s music mainly acted as a backdrop for latecomers, who were rushing to buy their merch and drinks before The Backseat Lovers took the stage.
And after an hour and a half, they did. Screams erupted as The Backseat Lovers – Joshua Harmon (lead singer & & guitarist), Jonas Swanson (lead guitarist & vocalist), KJ Ward (bassist), and Juice Welch (drummer) – slowly walked on stage and began to strum the opening notes to “Silhouette.” The shifting and bumping of the audience subdued like a calm storm – and it stayed that way. Throughout the entirety of the band’s performance of Waiting to Spill, the audience was mostly tranquil and mellow. Their stillness reflected the contemplative nature of the album, which encapsulates the notion of being lost in your 20s.
The album further reflects this notion through its mellow sound. The band experimented with more folk and country sounds, which is especially noticeable in “Snowbank Blues” – a song that Harmon wrote initially as a parody of a classic country tune. With an emphasis on folk and country sounds, the band’s new album strays from their typical electronic guitar riff infused sound, which usually results in consistent head banging from the crowd during performances. Instead, the audience swayed and sang along.
The stillness of the crowd may have also been a reflection of the band’s nervousness. After all, this was The Backseat Lovers first time performing their brand new album in its entirety for a live audience. Harmon expressed the band’s nervousness near the beginning of their set; however, after four or so songs, he told the audience he was stunned. His lyrics were echoed back to him; the audience was singing along to an album that was released not even two weeks ago.
While the audience may have been still with their bodies, their voices were strong. Harmon and the band didn’t predict this response to the album. Sure, maybe they expected to hear the audience sing-along to their singles “Close Your Eyes” and
“Growing / Dying,” which were released prior to the album. But there were some serious hard-core fans present, singing along to nearly every track. As the audience continued to sing along, The Backseat Lovers grew out of their shells. Instead of simply singing in place, they began to waltz with their instruments as their partners across the stage. Slowly too, the audience began to join in on the waltz, swaying along to the music.
After The Backseat Lovers finished performing Waiting to Spill, the tempo changed, and the headbanging began. The Backseat Lovers performed their staple songs, starting off with “Pool House” followed by the viral TikTok song “Kilby Girl,” which currently has almost 189 million streams on Spotify. Immediately upon the first notes of “Kilby Girl” being played, a sea of phones were taken out to record the now frat-party staple. The lyrics were not merely echoed back to the band but were screamed back at ear-piercing levels. One man who screamed at the start of the show, “My girlfriend loves you,” now screamed again and said, “I’m in love with you too now!” The calm sea of people transformed into a wild ocean, and lead singer Harmon’s hair was its biggest wave. Harmon’s consistent headbanging – his staple move – caused his long hair to sweep across the stage. The Backseat Lovers concluded their set with three of their well-known songs: “Maple Syrup,” “Still a Friend,” and “Sinking Ship.”
Upon finishing, the band members humbly bowed and scurried off-stage. A woman turned to me and said, “Aren’t they just so happy and nice?” She was right. Not only is the band kind, but so was the audience. Filled with superfans and newcomers alike, the audience was one of the most wholesome crowds I’ve been in to date. Strangers discussed their favorite songs and the new album, relishing in the band’s music. I can only hope that The Backseat Lovers make the trek from Utah to New York again in the near future.
