The crowd for young English musician Tom Misch was what I had expected; highly fashionable millennials all rocking dark colors that could be confused for black if disrupted by dim lighting, plenty of hoods over the head as they bobbed in a melancholy unison.
Opening the show was Carmody, whose set I thoroughly enjoyed. I had no clue what to expect going in, perhaps something in the vein of Misch’s genre? Their style of music is heavily influenced by The xx and the ongoing trend of dub beats over properly timed strums of the guitar and sharp bass work. The anomaly was their saxophone player which tastefully chimed in at proper moments. Carmody’s opening set ended up being the perfect set up.
By the time Misch came on, I was fully immersed with the vibe of the crowd. Misch opened the show up with his most popular tune “On My Mind,” on which I threw my hood on and bobbed with no guilt. It’s tough to describe Misch’s style — a fusion between the meticulous but minimal production of Jamie xx, sliced in with John Mayer-Esque guitar licks and riffs paired with silky smooth vocals that melt with the rest of the composition.
Along with the lights, Misch put me in a temporary trance—his set flew by. Although you knew when the next song was coming on, there was a seamlessness to it. Misch’s songs have an easiness and a fluidity to the ear, yet every song has its unique twang.
Misch is 20 years old but his brain is loaded with maturity. I believe he’s got the integrity to keep this level of work consistent. I’m glad to have seen an opening phase of something special.
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