I had the pleasure of seeing The Paper Kites, five instrument-trading band members from Australia, on July 18th at Bowery Ballroom. I’ve never seen a band switch instruments with each other as much as they did. From acoustic guitars, back to electric, then to keyboard, then there were banjos and harmonicas at one point. The talent of each single member is remarkable. They take harmonizing to another level and the most captivating thing about The Paper Kites is the lovely male-female vocal chemistry of Sam Bentley and Christina Lacy. Imagine this delicate and natural combination of soft-folk rock paradise.
This was my first time seeing The Paper Kites live, but not the first time I had heard of them. My absolute favorite song off theirs, without a doubt is, “Bloom.” When they performed it, it was almost flawless. Sam Bentley, one of the lead vocalists, had messed up the lyrics in the beginning and had stopped singing for a moment, but played it off really well. This may sound strange, but in a way it reminded me that these gifted musicians are human, too. Yet, they still sounded the same live, as they do on their recorded album, which I have come to realize is rare. So, whenever I come across a band like them, I truly appreciate and take it all in. I could picture myself getting ready in the morning and starting my day listening to The Paper Kites mellow sound. One more thing I HAVE to mention is how they perceive us New Yorkers. Three words… “Very Cool Looking!” Talented, Australian accents AND they know how to give wonderful compliments? I’m sold!
Article by: Kayla Klein