There are not enough fire emojis in the world to describe how absolutely lit Neumos was in celebration of Grant Eadie’s new self-titled LP, Manatee Commune.
It seemed like everyone and their mothers came through on Saturday night to pack the Capitol Hill venue. The show was fit with an incredible lineup of four local musicians, and a damn good reason to celebrate.
Seattle-based producer Dream Journal, a.k.a. Josh Leibsohn, kicked off the night with power-pop samples that were carried by an electronic twist of 80’s funk and bass. It was an engaging combination of the nostalgic with the familiar, and the perfect warm-up on the floor.
Photo by Priscilla Gamit
Following Leibsohn was another Seattle-bred producer, Jamie Blake. Blake provided an eclectic set, showing off a variety of his own interests from smooth jazz to R&B, remixing Bob Marley’s classic track “Is This Love,” and even incorporating a very impressive piano solo straight from his pad controller.
Photo by Priscilla Gamit
Third on the bill was Maiah Manser, who was dressed in black from head to toe, already captivating the audience with her presence as smoke filled the stage behind her. Her hauntingly beautiful vocals echoed through the room, blanketing the commanding drive provided by her backing band, specifically through her performance of “Hold Your Head Up.” Manser sent chills through the crowd with her dark and wildly-fitting rendition of “I Put a Spell on You,” and finalized the enchantment with her newest single “Second Skin.” It was a very piercing performance altogether.
The clock read 11:30 p.m., and it was finally time.
Manatee Commune immediately mesmerized the crowd with creeping synths, natural visuals, and pretty lights, illuminating his kit before he even stepped foot on the stage. It was a sight that simply fueled the anticipation we had been feeling all night. Then, with the perfect lightness and increasing drive, he took the stage, barefoot and wide-eyed, opening his set with the first single from the new album, “What We’ve Got.” The track includes high, summery keys, and low-lying vocals; it was the purest way to say goodbye to the season of sun one last time.
With just over an hour to kill, Eadie compiled his set with well-known songs such as “Clay” and “Blueberry” off of his 6-track EP, Thistle, which was released February of this year. These, along with many others, filled Neumos to the brim with the cross-inspirations of genuine soundscapes of life and space.
Photo by Priscilla Gamit
After constantly thanking the city for being there to share his big night, Manatee Commune ended with a two-song encore, with one of the songs being “The Garden Song” off of the new album, featuring Moorea Masa.
Watching Eadie lose himself on stage was surreal for both him and the entire crowd, as we all shared the fantastic moment of his dreams coming true last Saturday night at Neumos.
PRISCILLA GAMIT | fire emoji x 1,000,000 | General Manager
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