Ski Lodge are quickly emerging as one of the best new talents around. They opened for Born Ruffians tonight at Bowery Ballroom, performing a worthy set that had all who got there early enough bobbing their heads. There seemed to be a lot of shock in the crowd at how good Ski Lodge were as they are still a fresh face to the general public, and because they were kicking all kinds of ass. Their set was a vibrant one that you couldn’t help but shuffle along to. Theirs a whimsical quality to their music, even if the lyrical content doesn’t always suite the upbeat nature. There’s no doubt in my mind that these guys are on the cusp of something pretty spectacular.
Moon King were up next and weren’t quite my thing. Their style was all over the place, often starting slowly with electronic based ballads and then steaming by with a fast rising rocker. I enjoyed some of their set but found a lot of it too sound too much like each other as a whole.
Born Ruffians were the band of the night, as they were celebrating the release of their brand new album, Birthmarks. The last time I saw Born Ruffians was in 2008 when they opened during Vampire Weekend’s famed show in the pouring rain in Central Park. Boy have they come a long way since. A young energized crowd sold out the Bowery Ballroom for them, and these kids came ready to support their band. Nearly every word of their old material was sung back to them, it was a glorious thing to behold.
The set kicked off with “Badonkadonkey” instantly sending me right back to 2008. It felt good. The new material from Birthmarks worked well in the set, integrated properly with a steady mix of their more known material to keep everything balanced. I guess it’s been a while since Born Ruffians last played NYC, as the fans were really going nuts for them. I was definitely shocked, but then again, hearing “Hummingbird”, “Barnacle Goose” “Need A Life”, and “What To Say”, made me remember just how good these guys are. Recent single “With Her Shadow” had a big moment as well, fitting in just right.
Born Ruffians are definitely a band that strive in the live environment. Things get a bit amped up with the fans and the bands energy, it’s something that all fans of them need to see whenever they get the chance.
Find photos of each bands set posted below.
Born Ruffians:
Ski Lodge:
Moon King:
Some New Friends:
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