EMILY KING STUNS AT THE BOWERY BALLROOM

Thursday was the night to find yourself inside the beyond-packed Bowery Ballroom, as Emily King’s tour finally landed in the her native city, the Big Apple. Along for the ride, was none other that one of my favorites, fellow New York based paris_monster. The combination proved to satiate the crowd’s appetite for downright good and soulful music.

Having been no stranger to the epicness that Josh Dion and Geoff Kraly are capable of onstage, I listened in on the conversations going on the crowd as they played. “They are killing it!,” “Those wires must make all those different sounds on the bass.,” “Singing, drums, and keys?! What’s this band’s name again?,” “I’m going to follow them on Facebook right now!” Reactions like that are ones that bring a huge smile to my face when I’ve witnessed a band as undeniably talented and completely badass as paris_monster. Time and time again they prove to be a must see act. As their popularity increases and their shows branch further and further out across the US, take solace in the fact that you were an early adopter of their sound. That is, of course, I’m assuming you’ve listened to their record already…

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As for Emily King, the opposite situation was happening in the crowd for me. I was the one who was completely unfamiliar with her music and found myself shouting out “Oh my GOD!” at how incredibly talented she was. Dressed to kill in a white ensemble, and hair coiffed so meticulously that Prince would have given her an approving head nod, Ms. King worked every inch of that stage and left no crevice of that building untouched by her sound. Matched with a ridiculously good group of musicians that encompassed her band, her 1.5-hour set flew by far too quickly.

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Audience members knew songs before the first words were sung, breaking out into yelps of “YAASSSSSSS QUEEEEEN!” or “You better sing!” Literally every single song she sang, from start to finish was so good, I wondered how I’ve gone so damn long without ever seeking her out. What rock have I been living under for so long?!

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If I had to compare this show to something, it would be the feeling of seeing Maxwell’s MTV Unplugged so many years ago. In that moment, with that performance, you knew this would be someone who would be around for a very long time, making very good music. I can say the same about Emily King, hands down.