Walking into the Brooklyn Bowl on Oct. 14, I was immediately brought into the world of “Paradise.” The stage was set up to be a retro cartoon-style ocean. On the balcony, there was a flash tattoo stand tucked in the corner, with tour-themed themed designs. I immediately knew attending this concert over finishing a paper was the right thing to do.
The blue plastic wrap waves turned ghostly in the low light as opener Hannah Cole sang softly. The crowd slowly swayed to the rhythm of her indie music. In between songs, the crowd chatted while the hum of the tattoo machine droned in the background. However, when the second opener, Arcy Drive, a self-described “attic-rock” band, came on stage the atmosphere became much more lively. A mosh pit started when their bass and drums picked up. The final opener was Charlie Burg, an alt-R&B artist. The audience sang parts of his songs “I Don’t Wanna Be Okay Without You” and “Lovesong.”
As soon as Briston Maroney stepped onto the stage, the crowd was electrified. The man beside me professed his love for Maroney as the rest of the audience sang along to the first song, “Caroline.” I could feel the balcony shaking from the dancing of audience members. As Maroney worked through his set, which featured a solid mix of acoustic and alternative rock, he showcased his ability to keep the crowd engaged. His energetic music was captivating on its own, but his conversations and interactions with the audience added an extra element of engagement. When playing “Freeway,” the crowd flipped Maroney off when he sang his lyric, “Middle finger to the road signs that tell me I’ve gone too far.”
As the setlist wound down, Maroney declared that there was a “very important ritual” about to take place. He announced that his father was in the crowd and would open the pit. Maroney encouraged the crowd to be safe while moshing and for his dad to “go easy on these poor souls.” Maroney eventually joined the pit himself while his band continued to play. When he left, Maroney was wearing a pink fuzzy cowboy hat from a fan. Maroney wrapped up the night with an acoustic version of his song “Rose.”
After the crowd demanded an encore, Maroney played “June.” The crowd was immersed for the entire show, and it was an exhilarating, electric, enjoyable time. By the second-to-last song, “Freakin’ Out on the Interstate,” one person had crowd surfed twice, temporarily stopping the mosh pit in order to keep him safe. Everything from the stage design, the energy in the audience, the openers, and above all, Maroney’s music was fantastic. I can’t wait to see another one of his shows.
