Sonic Blume at House of Independents

Megan Froehlich

Just as lead singer, Max Connery sings in Sonic Blume’s opening song “Aubrey,” the crowd at the sold-out 2nd Annual Holiday Show Saturday, December 21st at Asbury Park, New Jersey’s House of Independents agreed that they “can’t stop watching.”

Maybe the reason the audience’s attention was held captive was the band’s unique introduction that included a man wearing a mask and a long beak with the words I am the real Max scribbled across his chest. The arrangement included two other masked individuals playing chess behind the musicians matched with music that sounded like it belonged in an action scene of a Marvel movie.

Or perhaps the cause was the connection the band had with their audience. There was no barrier between the band and the crowd. I’m not only referring to a lack of metal bars blocking fans from reaching the stage: I am referencing the genuine, relaxed style of the band that made the set feel like a large group of friends simply hanging out while enjoying and playing live music. The way the band addressed the crowd was conservational, inclusive, and energizing. Throughout the show, the band thanked their friends, told stories, and dedicated songs to loved ones, all while maintaining a lighthearted sense of humor. At one point in the show, Connery looked out into the crowd and said “this is a rock song, so start a fucking pit.” Without a second thought, friends and strangers threw their bodies around, doing everything they could to express the raging flame of liberation the music was igniting inside them.

Most likely, the source of the crowd’s energy was simply the contagious passion going around the venue. It didn’t take Connery telling the audience that they’d played House of Independents many times before to see the high level of comfort the band had with that stage. “It’s like the best place to play,” they declared. The love Sonic Blume has for performing combined with their love for the venue created a stage presence infectious even to those on the floor. Though the music was mellow to a degree, the audience’s excitement overpowered its instinct to simply sway to the melody or bounce to the rhythmic tones and several mosh pits broke out. Some would scream words of encouragement towards the stage, but all would roar to show how much they were loving each and every moment of Sonic Blume’s performance.

With every beat that hit my chest, I felt I was being pulled into the slow current of a river of different colors. The music has a way of melting everyone’s souls together and enhancing them to feel at ease in the exact moment they are living in right then and there. The sharp strikes of Danny Murray’s drumsticks, the way bassist Andrew Phelan got the audience to clap along, Chase Landgrebe’s devotion to the music in fluid movements and focused expressions, and the interactions between each band member, all the action invited the audience to dive into the feeling that accompanied each song. The band emphasized this state of mind by letting us know that the ones creating the music were in this ecstasy with us.

Sonic Blume has been perfecting their performances since 2015 when the band formed, creating music that many have compared to The Smiths, The Strokes, New Order, and The Cure, as well as many other indie rock bands. When I listen to the band’s music, especially their debut album Beach Karma, the dulcet sound immediately called Joy Division to mind, with a bit more invigorating rock backing the warm melody. Yet, seeing the band play this music live was so much more immersive than plugging in headphones and selecting their tracks on my phone. It is always a special, more significant experience to have artists in front of you, but more specifically, the variety of colors hitting the stage and the all-enveloping acoustic of the music along with the stage presence of the band made the set feel like transportation to an alternate reality rather.

I left the holiday show, headlined by The Happy Fits, feeling refreshed. The event provided a sort of emotional cleansing, sucking any negativity from my psyche, leaving me solely with bliss and peace of mind. I now look forward to next time I will see the band produce inexpressible images of euphoria and color before my eyes simply by getting on stage and playing the music that has gathered quite a following.