Owl City at Electric Ballroom

Owl City – Electric Ballroom – 18 February 2010

Support – Lights

Words by Jamie Reynolds / Photos by Andy Sheppard

Arriving at the Electric Ballroom tonight I immediately notice something different to the last 50 times I’ve visited the venue but I cannot really pin point it until I notice the crowd is quite mature. Not in a sense of being old but rather that everyone seems quite orderly and it’s comforting to think that no injuries will go down.

Owl City is a band that I have wanted to see for some time because I wanted to challenge them. The media is not 100% sure yet what to think about Adam and his project, with votes scattered in both directions (complete hate and complete love), but I have quite enjoyed it all. Tonight would be that night.

The evening is kicked off by Lights who I have never heard of before but like from the start. I seemed to be one of the only people tonight that was listening with virgin ears because everyone else joined in with singing and many whistles which I didn’t understand until I got a better look at their vocalist / front lady (Valerie). Looks aside, she is really talented and as they are supporting Owl City for 5 months of touring, it is almost written that they are bound to become huge. Enough to leave me checking out their music after the show which doesn’t happen often.

Jumping back, tonight was definitley about Owl City and after a bit of a wait they hit the stage. Forgetting about any previous reviews, I was personally excited to see how Adam would recreate his music on stage. Their latest album, Ocean Eyes, is great and this is mostly where my excitement would be focused during the set but I never once thought I would experience what would take place tonight. Adam was joined by 5 supporting members on stage and the biggest sound I have heard in a long time. The set kicks off tonight with Umbrella Beach and the crowd go wild and the connection between the Adam and the crowd is unique with EVERYONE singing along (“da da da”), reminding me why I love live music.

The set tonight ranged from old to new songs with obvious favourites being off the latest album (Umbrella Beach, The Bird and The Worm, Dental Care and Fireflies which is their current single). I really don’t know why Owl City has any bad press at all because Adam seems like a really nice guy who is doing something that he really loves and even better than that, he is doing it really well. The music live makes you just want to dance, tap your feet, sway, smile and be happy almost like a soundtrack to a good movie that everyone enjoys.

Midway something happens and its almost as though Adam loses interest or is distracted slightly as he looks really tired and possibly almost even bored. He does mention that he isn’t feeling well which is taken in stride and he asks the crowd to sing for him which seems joke-like but happens. I almost get worried until Cave In restarts the fire of the night and the party goes back into full effect. I notice now that majority of the crowd consists of couples which seems odd but nice.

Towards the end of the show it seems as though Adam hits that same slump again and I am not sure why but it seemed as though he was done quite a bit before the end of the show. Encore is begged for by the loving crowd and we are waved good bye with the sounds of Hello Seattle which I personally feel was a bad choice as it’s one of my least favourites of all his work.

Leaving the show and thinking about it over and over again I am in two minds. One has had one of my favourite nights in a long time and the other is questioning why. I think if I had to be honest for me the show should’ve ended after about the 5th song. If it did then it would have been an incredibly strong set filled with and unbelievable amount of energy, passion and memories. I’m not saying I hated the rest of the show but I am used to shows building up and ending with a huge bang and this one didn’t, it burnt out mid way for me and speaking with other people on the way home I am reassured that they felt the same.

In saying all of this, Owl City is great and I think that things can only get better. It’s official that Adam will return to London in May and I am going to make sure not to miss that show and hopefully he will prove me wrong by correcting the slight glitches that tonight held.

Posted on Thursday, 18 February 2010 in Live Reviews, Mainarticles | 7 Comments »
Tagged as Adam Young, Electric Ballroom, Lights, Owl City, Valerie Anne Poxleitner