This past week, I caught a show for the indie folk/rock group Sons of an Illustrious Father (who define themselves as genre queer). They performed at C'mon Everybody in Brooklyn. The members are Lilah Larson (vocals, guitar, bass, drums), Josh Aubin (vocals, guitar, bass, keyboard), and Ezra Miller (vocals, drums, keyboard).
They began their set on a strong note, opening with their single "U.S Gay," followed by their most recent song "Extraordinary Rendition." Right away I knew the night would be a memorable one. From the first note,they brought a powerful energy they were feeling with each other and giving to the crowd. Everyone in the room was getting lost in the music.
Above: Lilah Larson
Beyond performing for a live audience, for me, much of the energy they generated came from the care and passion they put into each song. They were deeply into what they were playing, which is always fun to see from a band. At one point early in the show (though I only caught what happened after), Miller hit one of his cymbals so hard it flew off the drum set (away from the crowd. No one was hurt).
Around the midpoint of their set, they performed an acappella cover of Prince's "I Would Die 4 U," one of my favorites of the night. Larson started it, and moved to the front of the stage, joined by Aubin and Miller after a few lines. The performance was entrancing. It was evident just how connected they were to one another. Their voices worked perfectly together to create a beautiful cover. Near the end of the song, they gracefully returned to their original positions and moved into the next.
Above: Josh Aubin
They brought technical and vocal skill to the table that enhanced the experience and continued to showcase their talent. All three played at least two instruments, and each were able to show off their vocal chops with a song they performed solo. They sang with intensity and fervor in a way that sounded and felt different than listening to their recorded music. There was a more raw quality about how they sang live.
They topped off the night with an encore including the songs "The Opposite of Love" and "Very Few Dancers," still performing with as much energy as they started with. When they really ended the set (and I knew there wasn't going to be one more song), I was (almost) expecting something else. After they left the stage, I could still feel the lingering electric energy from their performance.
Above: Ezra Miller
Though it doesn't relate directly to their performance, one of the most memorable parts of the show was listening to the other people at the show felt about the performance or the band. Hearing about where some were from (someone I was in line with flew from JAPAN just to see them), or how for others seeing the group live again was just as great as the first time brought a smile to my face. The amount of care everyone has for the group (and any music group in general) was incredible to hear about.
Overall, the night was everything I expected and then some. Even if you don't typically listen to the style of music Sons of an Illustrious Father play, they are worth going to hear live. You'll leave their show wanting more. Finally getting the chance to see and hear them perform is an experience I won't forget any time soon.
