Photo by Amelia Zeve
When the moon looks so intensely bright that you can almost see the spots splotched across the surface, it’s going to be a good night. I can’t explain why; it’s one of those things you just feel. Look at the moon more often, and you’ll know what I’m talking about.
On my way to Neumos to see SALES perform, the moon was absolutely radiant. Not full moon bright, but bright enough to give me that feeling. Anticipation levels only increased as I floated through The Washboard Abs set. The local band’s unique drum set-up caught my attention immediately. I wasn’t sure how such a simple kit would keep up, but one song in and the drummer convinced me that size doesn’t matter. A wavy, relaxing sound permeated the blue lit room; everyone seemed to sway back and forth with the music. Lead singer Clarke Sondermann’s soft voice might have lulled me into a trance if it weren’t for the bouncy beat of the tracks.
Chaos Chaos’ performance followed The Washbaord Abs’ waves of reverb with glittering synth. The drummer of this band deserves a special shout out; she absolutely killed it, and looked like she was having the time of her life. Seriously, I don’t think I saw her stop smiling once throughout the set. That feel good energy is exactly what the crowd needed.
Photo by Amelia Zeve
When the members of SALES, Jordan (guitar/ backup vocals), Malcolm (drums), and Lauren (lead vocals/ guitar) finally came out onto the stage, the crowd cheered and clapped them through their entire set up process. People were genuinely ecstatic to see this band play. SALES’ music tends to be upbeat and lighthearted; to feel the same energy from the crowd was heart warming.
Photo by Amelia Zeve
The band definitely fed off of the smiley attitude of their fans. Newer work like “Pope is a Rockstar” and “Trapped in the Club”, both songs from their 2016 SALES LP, were played at the beginning of the set and then the Florida natives dived into some older music. “Vow”, “Big Sis” and “Ivy” seemed to be well-known among the crowd. I wasn’t the only one singing along to the lyrics, which Lauren performed differently than recorded versions. Instead of drawing out each word, she shortened the notes and sang with more punchy emphasis. This staccato style meshed well with reworks of tracks like “Toto”, which featured additional drum machine and samples not included on the EP version of the song. Known for their “music made ‘as is’” approach, SALES’ DIY mindset was evident during their performance.
Lauren actually mentioned being nervous at the beginning of the set, but before playing “Ivy”, she happily reported that she was “having lots of fun.” The fun continued as she demanded the crowd dance for the upbeat banger “Chinese New Year”, and shared the inspiration behind and significance of a few tracks. Her interjectory dialogue with the crowd as well as with her “best friends” (her bandmates) continued throughout the concert, making a somewhat large show feel like an intimate performance. Closing out the night with their hit single “Jamz”, they wished us all well. “We hope nothing f***ed up happens to you. We love you,” they sheepishly admitted before slinking off stage in a haze of cheering and proclamations of requited love from multiple audience members.
Now, if you’ve read my past concert reviews, you already know I make a point of counting the amount of Rainier and PBR cans I see in the audience. At the SALES concert, I didn’t spot a single beer! Yet people still stand-danced (swaying to the beat without moving their feet), whistled, and head bobbed through both openers; a few people actually jumped around and danced for SALES. As a pretty active concert-goer, I can report that this is not usually the case for Seattle crowds. Sometimes all it takes is a peppy beat to melt our freezer burned grimaces into smiles. Thank you, SALES, for bringing some sun to Seattle. I love you, too.
MADELINE THOMAS | P.S. I ate vegan ice cream between sets | KXSU Music Reporter