PHOTOS: HANNAH AMBROSE | There are bands that put out a pretty good record. There are those that put on a pretty good live show. Then there are those that blow your mind with the way they kick ass at both.
On that note, Lucius might just be one of the most kickass groups to come along in a while.
Their sound is both high-energy pop and wispy folk, both resoundingly modern and refreshingly vintage. Imagine a cross between Tegan and Sara and Fleetwood Mac, but inspired by the pop rock of the Beatles and the soul of Sam Cooke, laced with infectious hooks and spiked with killer ‘60s-era vibes—and wardrobe. Delicious.
Since the October release of Wildewoman, Lucius’ debut LP via Mom + Pop, the Brooklyn-based group has taken no precautions in turning some pretty important heads and proving themselves a force to be reckoned with. Their magnetic pop has received glowing reviews from the likes of Rolling Stone, Paste and NPR, among others. Heck, even Bob Boilen himself is a fan. Disclaimer: this review is, clearly, no less laudatory.
That being said, Lucius’ performance at Dallas’s Club Dada this Tuesday was nothing short of brilliant.
Despite technical difficulties beset by the venue, leading ladies Holly Laessig and Jess Wolfe stunned—with seeming effortlessness—from beginning to night’s end. The duo commenced by setting the stage, Dada’s quaint one at that, with a mystic performance of The Kinks’ “Strangers,” a clever choice for a duo whose voices and appearances blend so gloriously into one. As Laessig and Wolfe stood face-to-face at the front of the fog-hazed stage, dressed exactly alike, the flawlessly-harmonized “we are not two, we are one” provided for a dream-like, chillingly perfect intro to the show.
See, that is precisely Lucius’ story: two voices becoming one.
Throughout the night, the sonic symmetry between Laessig and Wolfe, and the complementary visual of the duo’s aesthetic symmetry, became evermore arresting through the ebbs and flows of Wildewoman. While folkier, more sultry songs like “Don’t Just Sit There” and “Go Home” showcased the duo’s vocal finesse, the bubbly “Turn It Around” and sexy, percussion-heavy “Nothing Ordinary” exhibited their ability to rock a stage like a pair of pros. But somehow, despite the band’s affinity for stylistic experimentation, their performance was tied together, start to finish, by a sound uniquely “Lucius.”
While Lucius put on an expectedly stellar show, not to be neglected was You Won’t, the quirky, Boston-based duo who opened for the band—and surprised audience members with a rather unorthodox performance. Think experimental-film-geeks-turned-musicians with makeshift instruments made of saws and air tubes, offbeat jokes, and mime-like arm gestures. Weird? You could say that. Awesome? Absolutely. These guys might be a little off, but their ingenuity and fresh take on indie pop provides for a surprisingly compelling sound—and an entertaining live show, to say the least.
While the evening was host to too many noteworthy moments to count, highlights included You Won’t’s antics and Lucius’ mid-crowd acoustic performance concluding the night. As the band ventured into the throng of an audience, they thanked everyone for supporting live music, performed an impossibly delicate version of “Two of Us on the Run,” a personal favorite off their LP, and corralled the crowd in an impromptu sing-along of Pete Seeger’s “If I Had a Hammer.”
As Laessig and Wolfe’s singular voice began, the subtle harmony of fellow band members gradually took effect, echoed soon after by anonymous voices dispersed throughout the crowd. Before long, the entire audience had chimed in, transforming the band’s harmony into a terribly off-pitch mess, somehow still beautiful in that sentimental, totally cheesy way—and it became clear by the energy in the room that, despite their recent surge in celebrity, Lucius is just here for the music.
And that’s pretty kickass.
Lucius is currently on a tour in the States. Their debut album, Wildewoman, was released in October via Mom + Pop.
