FAMILY OF THE YEAR + AWOLNATION PLAY IRVING PLAZA

Family of the Year, the five-piece indie rock band from Los Angeles, swayed the crowd under the glow of two crystal blue chandeliers at Irving Plaza last Saturday night. “Check this fucking sad shit out,” lead vocalist Joseph Keefe announced as he began to passionately belt “Carry Me.” The crowd felt the vibes from the slow and earthy tunes, and when the band came together for their gorgeous harmonies, hearts seemed to melt throughout the venue. With stage lights twinkling on the crowd, Family of the Year closed off their ethereal set with the hit song “Hero,” made famous by the movie “Boyhood.”

Family Of The Year

When electronic rock band AWOLNATION, headliners of the Run Tour 2015, slowly trickled onto the stage amidst haunting red lights, the crowd completely lost it. LA-native and frontman Aaron Bruno is a true performer and with the support of his highly skilled band, whose powerful sound filled up the high ceilings of Irving Plaza, every song started and ended with the energy of a grand finale. Bruno circled the stage, dancing with enthusiastic hand gestures, pointing the mic at the crowd as they shouted the lyrics at the top of their lungs and reached their hands into the air. This happened for the entire show, compelling Bruno to ask “Is everybody okay? Thank goodness!” as the audience rejoiced in more loud screaming.

AWOLNATION

That’s not to say Bruno didn’t provoke the crowd. Before starting “Kill your Heroes,” he commanded, “I want to see everybody from the front to back jumping up and down on the floor, I think the dance floor is ready to fucking explode.” Between an epic solo from drummer Isaac Carpenter, dramatic lighting (including the use of the classic disco ball, which is always appreciated), and non-stop dancing, the evening was a huge success. As it came to a close, Bruno proudly called out “We are AWOLNATION!” After an impressive encore comprising of “I Am” and chart-topper “Sail,” it was undeniable that all of us in the crowd were a part of AWOLNATION as well.