As I stood in the crowd of The Crocodile on Wednesday night chatting with friends and waiting for the show to start, the guy to my left asked his friend what Balance and Composure sounds like live. “Uh. They’re, like, sometimes angsty but hella chill,” the friend replied. Honestly, I applaud this young man’s articulate description of Balance and Composure’s sound, and the more I think of it, our nameless contributor’s description can pretty much describe the show as a whole. So hey, let’s roll with it.
The night started off with Philadelphia natives Mercury Girls, who delivered a relaxed and enjoyable set. Lead singer Sarah Schiminek set the mood with her dreamy vocals and mellow groove.
Next up was post-rock band Foxing from St. Louis. If you know anything about me, you probably know that this band is my heart and soul. Foxing started off strong with one of their hits “The Medic” and proceeded into a blend of tracks from their most recent album, and some from their debut. The passion each member of the band played with was captivating, and you could feel lead singer Conor Murphy’s emotion being poured into every movement. Transitions between songs were cinematic and ethereal, blending electronic sounds with violin. In addition, their gratitude to play was as genuine as their performance. “So our latest album Dealer just turned one recently. It’s so special to be in Seattle tonight because we recorded it here,” Murphy shared between songs. When they finished with another hit “Rory,” the crowd yelled along with energy.
Finally, Balance and Composure hit the stage after an anticipating intro, and came to life. Do you know those bands that seem to bring another layer to their music when playing live? Balance and Composure is one of those bands. You can’t help but love them even more after seeing them perform. The band started with “Midnight Zone,” one of the singles off of their new album and played a good variety of their collection. Older, popular songs like “Tiny Raindrop,” “Quake,” and “Reflection” warranted screams and crowd sing-alongs. “You guys are a vibey crowd. That’s my favorite kind of crowd. You know, we never really felt like we fit in here in Seattle, but tonight we don’t feel that way,” lead singer Jon Simmons said with a smile. Some songs built up enough energy for a little moshing, but things never got very wild. Balance and Composure finished their encore with “I Tore You Apart in my Head,” which definitely got me hyped, and the rest of the crowd as well.
In general, the atmosphere of the show felt genuine and warm. Although I would have liked to see a little more energy from the crowd, the environment had its own vibe going on. I got the impression that everyone was truly happy to just be there. Thank you, Balance and Composure, Foxing, and Mercury Girls, for a “hella chill” time.
JULIA SCHWAB | Flavortown Tour Guide | KXSU Music Reporter