Iska Dhaaf Energize The Vera Project

It was a Friday night in Seattle and we were ready to head over to the Vera Project for some good music. One of our most favorite artists Maiah Manser was added to the bill last minute so we were excited to catch her live. Manser enchanted us with her soft vocals and powerful stage presence that left us hungry for more. We are thrilled for the release of her debut EP “Second Skin” due out early next year.

The second band taking the stage was another Seattle based artist Special Explosions that we had not heard live before. This was a really nice surprise as we really enjoyed their indie rock sound and the female/male vocalists that blended so well together. Their latest “The Art of Mothering” is out featuring “Clotheslined”, “Hide”, and “Kingdom”, tracks we really liked. Check them out!

The night took a very large turn when Iska Dhaaf took the stage as from their very first song they demanded more from the crowd. Nathan Quiroga grabbed his mic and moved around the stage, making direct contact with the audience pumping them up to get more into it. Benjamin Verdoes stood behind his keyboard next to him most of the night but projected the same energy on his end with his dancing and singing.

The once Seattle-based band relocated to Brooklyn after deciding to collaborate on their new project. They are on a huge tour supporting their sophomore “The Wanting Creature”, which has really taken off as the band found its stride along the way. The band rocked out the VP and expected nothing less in return from the fans. Quiroga jumped into the crowd a few times to dance and mess around and Verdoes did the same during the last song. We went from having a relaxed vibe to a completely energized one by the end of the night. Wish every band could have such power to change our mood in this great way.

Photos Courtesy of S.Barkalakis