All photos (and words) by Dana Pacifico
In 2013 a little known band out of Kassel, Germany, made quite a splash with their debut album, Sadnecessary. Friends Clemens Rehbein and Philipp Dausch, better known as Milky Chance, have had themselves quite the journey (100+ European sold out tour) on the come up. Their first single “Stolen Dance” garnered itself an impressive 30M+ views on YouTube in a short period of time. Their sound blends together acoustic guitar, minimalistic electronic loops, hints of R&B and reggae, raspy folk-like vocals, and a melancholy sensibility within their lyrics to create a singular sound.
Last October Milky Chance embarked on their first US Tour, of course stopping at NYC first, and notably selling out Bowery Ballroom. Realizing these talented men were no joke it was my mission to capture their return to NYC in 2015. Milky Chance not only sold out Music Hall of Williamsburg, but also sold-out two nights in the Grand Ballroom at Webster Hall.
Their first stop was last week was at my favorite venue, Music Hall of Williamsburg. The crowd was giddy with excitement and it was infectious. I had been looking forward to this show for some time, so the wait for their entrance to the stage had me anxiety-ridden. As they finally took the stage, I realized that the duo has now expanded into a trio live. Milky kicked things off with an intro of hypnotizing acoustic guitar chords and riffs by Clemens, with Philipp intervening with his melodic beats, effortlessly getting the entire crowd swaying with them. Suddenly Clemens voice erupts, almost chanting like a shaman, putting us all under his spell. It was a transcendent moment so early in the show that set the tone for the rest of the evening.
Beautifully flowing through their debut album, songs like “Stunner,” “Sadnecessary,” “Flashed Junk Mind,” bonus song “Feathery” and “Stolen Dance,” had everyone singing along and sounded even fuller live. My favorite moment had to be when they played “Sweet Sun”, erupting into an all out dance party. Their newest member was able showcase his skills on the harmonica while Philipp banged away on a drum kit that added perfect island elements to the fun song. I was stuck singing “Mmm you’re my baby, and your sweet sweet sun makes me crazy,” for the next two days and I didn’t mind one bit. To me, they solidified themselves as the next big thing.
Leaving Brooklyn that night I was thoroughly depressed. Milky Chance had played everything in their catalogue but for some reason I was yearning for more. I was blown away by the transformation of songs in the live setting and obsessed by the musical landscapes they had created, I only wanted to explore them further.
In an attempt to feed my musical appetite I knew I had to go back for more and luckily, only three days later I was fulfilled. This past Tuesday was night one of two at Webster Hall. Significantly bigger than MHOW I was excited to see the transition.
I happened to overhear one of their cameramen say something about Clemens throat being very sore, hence the bottle of honey beside his feet. There was a definite immediate extra rasp in his voice that was not a hindrance by any means. With the bigger stage at Webster, they brought out these three hanging dreamcatcher-like structures behind them. They also brought along these carved wooden totems that are placed around the stage and the moccasins Clemens wears add to a solid aesthetic.
The setlist remained basically the same but it was not a bad thing. I was able to hear new things and connect differently with other songs. New single “Nevermind” into “Running” was the highlight this time around. The sporadic light show and mesmerizing clock noise that brought everything together during the seamless dance-finish of “Running.” Closer “Down By The River” never has to change, its perfect where it lies within the set list.
Milky Chance is only going to grow in popularity and they have much to prove with the second album. If “Nevermind” is any indication, they seem to be on the right track.
They come back around July 22nd with X Ambassadors opening at Central Park SummerStage and is sure to be a solid show from both bands. Tickets are available here, with their track record there soon wont be any left.
Find photos from the show posted below (all by Dana Pacifico)
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