A GREAT NIGHT FOR OUR EMOTIONAL INSTABILITY
Lately, it seems that everyone wants a piece of the emerging Chicago-based band Whitney. Made up of former Smith Westerns guitarist Max Kakacek, former Unknown Mortal Orchestra drummer Julien Ehrlich, and five other young men, the band is teeming with unbelievable talent. After the release of their first single “No Matter Where We Go” in May of 2015, fans all over America have been waiting with baited breath for their record to drop. Thankfully Light Upon The Lake has been made available for streaming, and is absolutely worth the wait– it is a beautiful album composed of heart-wrenching, soulful tunes that could make anyone break out in tears on the spot. It comes as no surprise that their Market Hotel record release show was packed with almost no standing room whatsoever.
SATURDAY 06/04/16 – BROOKLYN, NEW YORK
It was a sweaty evening but that didn’t matter to my pals and I as we danced the night away in support of the band of the summer. The sold-out show was Whitney’s third New York gig celebrating the release of the record, following performances at Other Music and Baby’s All Right. Whitney’s heartfelt, dreamy set was ideal—everything I expected and more. All throughout the night, the love could be felt from any spot in the venue. The group even covered Bob Dylan, which was a tasteful addition to their set list.
Truth be told, it would certainly suck to be an ex of one or any of the members of Whitney during this time as the album is packed with poetic lyrics about relationships gone sour. If the lyrics and melodies on the album aren’t proof enough of this statement, lead singer Julien Ehrlich tweeted a day after the album’s release that the record caused his ex to call him up crying. And, when Ehrlich crooned, “I wish you were my friend” during a sublime performance of “Dave’s Song,” I’m sure many hearts were broken, even if those hearts were not involved with members of the band. To complete the night, two members of the band, Max and Julien, dived from the stage into the crowd. The perfect ending to a flawless evening.
Whitney’s first record is making a huge splash—to sleep on it would be a crime to say the least, especially since the band is receiving way more than a handful of well-deserved praise from every corner of the music industry. To quote an audience member about his thoughts on the Market Hotel show, “This was a great night for my emotional instability!” All jokes aside, be sure to support Whitney and catch their October shows at Music Hall of Williamsburg and The Bowery Ballroom. You won’t want to miss out on this.
[+] WHITNEY
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