X Ambassadors @ The Royale // Boston, MA
Finally, after trying so hard for so long, I was able to get out and see X Ambassadors live again. As some of you know, I was meant to see them over the summer, but sadly that show was cancelled because Sam Harris fell ill. Everyone was sad, people shed tears, tragedy occurred. But it’s okay because it finally happened again, in Boston where the love affair started.
Some background on my history with this band, because it will soon become relevant (by some I mean all): I saw them live for the first time back in November 2013, when they opened for The Mowgli’s and I’d never even heard of them before and I didn’t even want to see the headliner but my friend had free tickets and who am I to pass that up? I was nothing short of captivated by X Ambassadors’ set, and I immediately started listening to them when I went home. Then January rolls around, and I’m going to another concert that my friend and I had bought tickets for months and months in advance, and we do we find out is opening for this show? That’s right, X AMBASSADORS (this is the same friend as the previously mentioned show funnily enough.) They kill it, and we are two of maybe 10 people in the crowd that have any inkling who these guys are. They announce they are coming back to do their first ever headliner in April, and you bet your ass we were there 4 months later, at a sold out show at the Great Scott down in Allston. Earlier that day in April, they also played an acoustic set at a college nearby, which of course we also went to. From an opening slot at Paradise Rock Club to the headliner at a sold out show at The Royale, it’s been a great year and a half with these guys already. And now, some thoughts about the performance.
When I promised the above monologue would be relevant, I mostly say that because of the opener, Kevin Garrett. For those of you that follow me on Twitter, you already know where I’m going with this. I legitimately have not been this excited about discovering a new artist at a show since the day I discovered X Ambassadors. This guy is so incredibly talented, my jaw literally dropped several times. His falsetto is flawless, and reminds me a lot of James Vincent McMorrow, who is obviously the king of the male upper vocal range. His sound feels so dreamy yet kind of has this darker element to it at the same time. As should be expected, I’ve been listening to him non-stop since the show, and I have to be honest when I say his live set blows his studio tracks out of the water. And in my personal opinion, that is just the best thing.
Skylar Grey was up next, and wow that girl is talented. Her voice is unreal, like holy cow that range is next level. Her music wasn’t really my taste, but I definitely still enjoyed her set because it’s so easy to see how creative and talented she is. She had a little portion in her set where she played snippets of a bunch of songs she helped write, and I was very surprised because all of these song have been like chart-topping singles. Respect.
X Ambassadors. AFTER ALL THIS TIME. I’m pretty sure I was jumping and squealing as these guys were taking the stage, and I was so engrossed in the set that I didn’t even take notes so these thought may be sporadic. They still have that insane energy that made me fall in love with them in the first place, and Sam Harris still has the same dance moves. They all played/sang flawlessly. Honestly this show just made me so proud of them because I’ve been watching them for a very long time, so I don’t have many technical things to note. Go see this show because they are amazing performers, and that’s what peaked my interest in them in the first place. My only qualm was some set list choices, just because I miss the old material and they didnt play my favorite song off VHS :'(.
This tour has just begun, and you can still get tickets to some dates! Go here for more info.
Has anyone else caught this show, or is anyone going to in the future? Let me know with a comment below!
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