Author: Bridget Benevides
Image courtesy of @Kodaline on Facebook
I have said it before and I will say it again: music NEVER fails to give me exactly what I need in the moment. When I walk into a venue, the outside world ceases to exist, and with it the drama, the stress, the tension melts away. College is hard, that is a fact, I am emotionally exhausted, yes, and Kodaline was absolutely incredible, undoubtedly.
Ocean Park Standoff opened for Kodaline at The Neptune. Ocean Park Standoff is a trio whose sound is somewhere between alternative pop and electronic rock, aka the perfect vibe for The Neptune on a Tuesday. They brought a great energy as the crowd filed in and the excitement built. They played some songs that I knew, but I didn’t know were by them which was a happy surprise for me; these included “Good News” and “Lost Boys”.
Kodaline is the best concert I have been to this (school) year. Top of the list, no doubt. The talent that those give men have is mind blowing; the beauty and power of the music they created left me in awe and gave me chills. Steve Garrigan was so charming as he introduced the songs and the band and expressed their excitement to be in Seattle. Everyone in the audience was smiling ear to ear (and no one was obnoxiously drunk, yay!). I loved singing along with the audience because everyone sang so unapologetically that the voices rang loudly through the venue in unison which is a very powerful experience for me.
They played songs off their new album Politics of Living, as well as songs from Coming Up for Air. I heard the song “I Wouldn’t Be” for the first time and was taken aback by the beauty of the harmonies between the band members. There are give of them and although Steve Garrigan is the main vocalist, they all sing in every song, creating strong, warm melodies that add depth to their sound. I think this is one of the reasons they have such a captivating and dynamic sound; it is certainly one if the reasons I loved the show so much. Their music online can really not compare to the delicate intensity of their voices life.
When Steve Garrigan played “The One” (beautifully and acoustically might I add) he dedicated it to a couple in the audience which pulled on my heart strings quite a bit. The whole show was moving and emotional and everything I could have asked for. The did play my favorite song: “All I Want”, and I will be honest, I have been in need of a cathartic cry and that really did it for me. Shows have gotten me choked up before, but this is the first time that tears have fallen, and it felt so good. I cried like I knew what they were talking about, and I think that speaks to the power of their music. They could make me feel things that I have never experienced through their emotional story telling is truly powerful. They sing a lot about love, and I hope one day I can listen to their music and not just hope for the things they sing about but understand. I will be riding this high for a long time.
BRIDGET BENEVIDES | “I wouldn’t be the human I am without the friends that let me fly and help me land” | KXSU Music Reporter