Wild weather didn’t stop Brooklyn’s finest from filling The Bell House on Monday night for a show from the second of two shows from Thao & The Get Down Stay Down. The festivities kicked off with the charming Sallie Ford and The Sound Outside, a Portland, Oregon band known for catchy alt-country/rockabilly jams. Sallie Ford, kick-ass lady she is, performed with an infectious energy and plenty of banter with the audience and guitarist Jeff Munger. Favorites from the set included “I Swear” from 2011’s Dirty Radio and ‘Addicted’ from their new album Untamed Beast. However, the highlight belonged to “Fuck That,” the perfect sing-along for those of us who just don’t care.
By the time Thao Nguyen entered the stage, The Bell House reached maximum capacity for the second night in a row. It was clear fans were more than happy the band were breaking their three-and-a-half year album hiatus to promote new album We the Common. I was astounded by Nguyen’s fierce energy and pitch-perfect voice, somehow husky and melodic at once. Thao’s lyrics were perfectly offset by her back-up singers and rhythmically exciting band. At one point there was a double-drum ensemble going on, while other segments saw a saxophone adding flair to the songs. Highlights from the set included an energetic singalong to “Holy Roller” and the haunting “Kindness Be Conceived” (a duet with Joanna Newsom on We The Common). The band ended the night on a high note before they exited the stage, thanking the crowd for being “awesome.”
Thao & the Get Down Stay Down still have a slew of shows left in North America, so do yourself a favor and catch them in person while you still can.
