Vance Joy
Bodies filled the entire block and beyond. Standing in line. Waiting in anticipation. “Will we make it in?” the disparate looks on their faces seemed to ask. For half of these people, the answer, sadly, was no. But for the other half, 91 cents was their ticket in.
91x’s Local Break shows, which infamously cost 91 cents, are always popular. But when San Diego learned the most adorable Australian with a ukelele, Vance Joy, was performing, crowds swarmed like locusts to the Casbah in hopes of catching their own break.
ListenSD luckily bypassed the line and cruised in just as the first opener Soda Pants began. The four piece of UCSD alums, who won “Best New Artist” last year at the San Diego Music Awards, started off the night right, with their boundless joy, constant instrument changes, and pure talent oozing out of their pores. Every member plays multiple instruments and they all provide vocals at some point, which was very impressive.
Next up was San Diego band Spero, another band who seemed to surprisingly blow away the crowd. Sounding like they crawled out of Tennessee backwoods, this band was pure energy and rock n roll. Every member trashed, screamed, and head-banged the shit of out their tracks, with infectious energy and passion.
And finally, Vance Joy and his band of backup Aussies took the stage and honestly, some of the energy seeped out of the room and settled on a happy mellow vibe. But it started to feel apparent that most people only knew his hit track “Riptide” and seemed to be sticking around only to hear it. But as the last track he played, the entire sold-out room broke out into harmony and luckily seemed to get the words right.
Photos By: Summer Luu
Review By: Amanda Martinek