By Chloe Sarmiento
With it not even being a year since their last headlining show in Seattle, The Backseat Lovers returned to The Emerald City for the ‘Waiting To Spill’ tour.
Hailing from Utah, the band has been gracing the indie-rock music scene for the past five years. Their career took off with the smash-hit, “Kilby Girl,” which caused them to gain traction for their other tracks as well. The band sings of youthful and liberating love with their introspective lyrics, backed by dynamic instrumentals and guitar-heavy songs.
Despite the mix of light rain and sudden sunshine, typical Seattle weather, fans lined up all day to ensure they secured the closest spot to the front.
Once doors opened, fans swarmed into one of the city’s most historic venues, The Paramount Theatre. From the general admission floor to the seated tiered balcony, the venue held little to no empty spots.
At around 9 p.m., the 4-piece indie band emerged from a thick cloud of smoke and red light. The crowd turned their energy up and screamed as soon as the band stepped on stage. Right away, the band played “Know Your Name,” from their recently released sophomore album, “Waiting To Spill.”
The band’s energy was magnetic and instantly drew in the crowd, as this was one of the loudest shows I’d been to in a while. It became clear that The Backseat Lovers have a devout fanbase that doesn’t hold back when it comes to showing their support.
Basked in dim red light, the moody stage lighting contrasted the glowing instrumentals and strong vocals emitted from the band. Lead singer, Joshua Harmon, was nothing short of a visibly passionate vocalist. His voice is raw, yet smooth at the same time, an uncommon juxtaposition that fits perfectly together.
In the middle of the set, the band started strumming the chords to the fan-favorite song, “Kilby Girl,” and fans erupted into screams so loud that they drowned out the actual music. At this point, if any fans were sitting down, they all rose to their feet and sang along with joy. The track sounded just as good as it does over streaming platforms and I feel confident in saying that if there’s one song that everyone should hear live at least once in their life, it’s this song.
In between tracks, Harmon asked the crowd if anyone was from another Washington city, named Kirkland. Few fans began cheering at the mention of the small town and others wondered why it was brought up. The lead singer then explained how he was actually born in Kirkland, which is about a half-hour drive away from Seattle. In the true fashion of Seattelites, the crowd grew as loud as possible, showing their pride for the city and those surrounding it.
A notable mention must be for lead guitarist, Jonas Swanson, as the guitar in their songs is what makes this band so unique. Most songs begin with memorable guitar riffs before jumping into the lyrics, showcasing talent beyond the band’s young ages. Another highlight included all of the bright and contagious smiles from the bands, presenting their genuine appreciation and gratitude for their fans.
The show overall included a seamless mixture of songs from both their first and second album, providing for both long-time and newer fans. The show closed out with a three-song encore, consisting of “Snowbank Blues,” “Words I Used,” and “Sinking Ship.”
The Backseat Lovers is a band I would voluntarily see time and time again. Their shows never seem to get old and are far from repetitive. The band’s songs about growing up and calf love hit a deep sense of reflection within listeners and stand out within the indie music scene.
Be sure to catch this group as they continue their tour throughout the country, with headline shows and festival appearances.
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