Photo By: Nicky Parry (She Rock Photography)
Last night, Indianapolis was graced by Echosmith's first ever headlining tour. Fans gathered in the Deluxe Room at the Old National Centre, packing the place well before the show began. The crowd ranged from very young to old. Everyone seemed excited for the concert to start.
The lights dimmed and The Colourist rushed the stage. Drummer/Vocalist Maya Tuttle impressively balanced vocals while staying in pocket, never losing the melody nor the beat. Joined by Guitarist/Vocalist Adam Castilla on vocals, they complimented each other, creating excellent harmonies. The other two members, bassist Justin Wagner and guitarist Kollin Johnson, lent their voices during the choruses. Despite having four voices at once, the vocals were on point. The sound was perfect. The instruments never overpowered the singing and vice versa.
Photo By: Nicky Parry (She Rock Photography)
The crowd interaction was impressive. Tuttle and Castilla reminded the audience this was their first ever time stopping in Indianapolis, but it seemed to enhance the crowd's enthusiasm. The music was upbeat and fun, but not overly poppy. The Colourist has an indie vibe, much like Echosmith. One can see why they are perfect touring partners, aside from the similar group dynamic. Everyone seemed to get pumped during The Colourist's set, ready to experience Echosmith live. I had never heard The Colourist before this show, but I am definitely a new fan after seeing them live.
I first saw Echosmith at Warped Tour in Ventura, CA, so I was interested to hear the difference between an outdoor venue versus an indoor. I was thoroughly impressed by their Warped Tour set and was naturally excited to see them perform again. For those that don't know, Echosmith is made up of the four Sierota siblings: Sydney (Vocals), Jamie (Guitar), Noah (Bass), and Graham (Drums).
One by one, each member slowly made their way to the stage, effectively building up suspense. Once Sydney appeared, the crowd's screams were deafening. Sydney's vocal control was impressive, hitting soft, hard, low, and high notes with perfection. Noah seemed one with his bass, getting deep into the groove of the tunes. Jamie hit his vocals perfectly and executed the guitar riffs. Graham was on beat the entire set, keeping his siblings in stride.
Photo By: Nicky Parry (She Rock Photography)
While I was shooting, I found it hard to focus on just one member. Each one brought a different energy and enthusiasm onstage. The more the band moved, the more the crowd moved as well. Echosmith made the fans feel as though the show was one big, fun party. At one point in the set, Sydney picked a boy from the audience and Noah picked a girl to come up on the stage and dance with each other to "Come With Me". The two happily obliged and looked they had the time of their lives.
Then the moment everyone was waiting for: "Cool Kids". As soon as the first note was played, not one fan I could see was standing still. Everyone was either swaying, jumping, mouthing the words, dancing, etc...! I don't think I've seen an Indianapolis crowd be this enthusiastic before. Even the most stoic of concert goers couldn't avoid the infectious melody. Even during the encore, the fans never lost the high energy. The band released giant confetti balloons that ended up popping and blowing confetti all over the audience. When the show ended, everyone had a smile on their face.
Of the recent tours I've attended, this one takes the cake. The bands are perfect touring partners, they both were so fun, and also, just extremely talented. If you can, catch the remainder of this tour. Both bands deserve a solid "A". If you miss seeing them live, you're robbing yourself of an excellent concert experience. For a fun night with friends, a date night, or just some time to yourself to enjoy music, go see Echosmith and The Colourist. They are well worth it.
Sidenote: Echosmith also has a humanitarian project, helping build a school in the Philippines! You can visit their awesome merch booth and donate $10 and you will receive a signed poster! All proceeds from that poster will go to the project.
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