Shakey Graves and KOLARS delight sold out Neptune

More than a thousand people packed the second sold-out night at the Neptune Theater for Shakey Graves. We waited patiently for the night to start and spoke to a few devoted fans that had traveled from other cities to catch him in Seattle. We saw Alejandro Rose-Garcia earlier this year at Sasquatch Festival and it was one of our favorite sets from the 3-day event. We couldn’t wait to see what the night was going to turn out like in this beautiful venue.

For those who were smart enough to show up early there was another great set to catch tonight. KOLARS kicked off the night and it was more than what we expected to see. This band could easily headline this space in a few months and it wouldn’t be a surprise at all. The duo made up by Rob Kolar and Lauren Brown dazzled and rocked the joint louder than many we’d seen over the last year. They bring such great energy to the stage that it is hard not to be completely drawn to them wanting more.

Kolar sings and plays guitar as Brown tap dances rhythms with her feet while playing on a full stand up kit with her hands. What? Yes, this happened and they played side by side sharing attention and adoration from the speechless fans. They match the disco/space blues/glam style wearing a lot of sparkles and glitter creating a great esthetic identity. The audience even got a few guests during their set including Graves’ guitarist and hometown hero Molly Sides of Thunderpussy who is an avid fan. They return for their own headlining show on March 29th at the Sunset and my advice is to do yourself a favor and go to that event.

It was time for the main act to join us and he emerged from the background as the stage was covered by four blank screens. He began the night with “Nobody’s Fool,” as the audience quickly shifted to a state of euphoria. The screens behind him displayed various videos as he performed solo towards the back of the stage. He played guitar while controlling a kick-drum and tambourine with his feet. It felt very welcoming as if he was playing music to you in your own living room even matching the carpets on the floor.

After a few songs his band joined him on stage picking up the energy a bit but as the night went on things slowed down again and the focus shifted on his more emotional songs. He didn’t speak much but he did hand out a few smiles letting the people know he was enjoying the night as much as they were. It’s incredible to notice his facial expressions through each song as he has such a power to control your mood along with his.

He finished the night solo again in a more intimate manner but had his band return for the encore portion with “Dearly Departed.” The night felt so quiet and peaceful and it was all Graves’ contagious vibe that made that happen. It’s so incredible to notice the power an artist has over a room full of people and how much that matters. This is why fans are drawn to different genres of music, they get what they want from them and it’s magnificent to watch this live.