Three cheers for Years & Years!
Let me just start off by saying that I love New York City! I feel like I don’t say that enough since it’s always been a part of my life and although I don’t live there I feel like I go frequently enough that I can be jaded at times and less appreciative of NYC in all its majesty. This past week I experienced two shows that really blew me away. Everything from the crowds to the stage lighting to the personalities behind the microphones were truly captivating. There were also a few surprises which I’ll share later and in next week’s post. I was sadly unaware of one of the surprises but I discovered the other one right away.
Now, I know that many other cities have their special moments and things that they can uniquely claim as their own. However for me, NYC has a certain spark that is almost unattainable anywhere else. I think that watching two acts from the U.K., Years & Years and Jessie Ware, and hearing their mutual adoration for the city that has always been important to me really brings it home that where I am is special. This city has at times been more of a home to me than my own and experiencing these amazing shows this week makes that fact crystal clear to me.
NYC has a spark that is almost unattainable anywhere else & @yearsandyears made it brighter. Click To TweetMy last “Ear Bliss” post detailed when Broods performed at the Music Hall of Williamsburg, you can check out my thoughts here. This past week started off with Years & Years who are a band based in London and have songs that should be in all of your playlists. The band played at (le) Poisson Rouge (LPR) and I was almost surprised I even made it to the show to begin with. Originally Years & Years was scheduled to play at the end of January but #snowpocalypse happened in the NYC area which resulted in the cancellation of the show and a lot of whining on my part. I first heard of these guys last fall during a trip to Austin and have been a huge fan ever since.
I was out at a club there when I first saw the below video. You can also check out the video for their hit song “King” in a past post here.
Years & Years are a relatively new act with a full-length record expected out this upcoming July. Katy Perry is already a fan and even sneaked in to see them play! I unfortunately, didn’t notice her. She was pretty low key in the way she was dressed so the chances of me spotting her even if she was beside me were pretty slim. A while back, Katy tweeted about their song “Desire” and you can check out the video below.
Now remember when I mentioned that I was a huge fan? I meant it. You know what also makes me even more of a fan? Seeing artists with a ton of charisma just rocking out with the crowd and joining in on the dance party! Olly, the lead singer, regularly broke out his dance moves which resulted in more and more squealing girls each time.
Truth time: I was not above the hype and my voice was gone once the set was over.
Overall, the show was well worth the extra wait and I’ll certainly go see Years & Years again next time they cross the pond and land in NYC. I’d definitely suggest checking out more of their songs in this playlist and going to see them when you get the chance. You can also check out another clip from the show here.
Hope you enjoyed this week’s edition featuring Years & Years! Next week, I’ll share the surprises that went on during the Jessie Ware show at Terminal 5 followed by The Ting Tings!