There’s no question the music was lovely at the Showbox at the Market on Saturday night. But for anyone in the room, it was obvious music wasn’t necessarily the main attraction. Rather, it was a night that found friendship and camaraderie and a celebration of Seattle’s music community taking center stage.
Though billed as a Release Party for folk-pop act Ivan and Alyosha’s full-length debut, All The Times We Had, it seemed the crowd was just as excited to see co-headliner Kris Orlowski, who has been generating quite a buzz over the last few weeks for landing his songs in primetime slots on “Private Practice” and “Grey’s Anatomy.”
If you’ve been living in the area – and you’re in tune with the local scene – you’ve probably seen Orlowski play. At a lunch spot downtown, at the Abbey, in your friend’s living room – and pretty much every intimate venue in the greater Seattle area. But seeing Orlowski and his band, in this beloved space, was something else.
Orlowski’s tunes are full of life and warmth, and while it took a few songs for the singer and his band to adjust to the space – one of the largest they’ve played – when they found their groove, they shined. As in, owning the stage, filling the room with palpable electricity, shined.
Mixing cuts from their most recent release, Pieces We Are, with fan favorites “Jessi” and “Your Move” Orlowski’s robust baritone, Saturday’s performance was, by far, the the best they’ve ever sounded.
It’d be difficult for any act to follow the love fest that was Orlowski’s set, but co-headliners (and friends) Ivan and Alyosha proved worthy.
Known for their full-bodied harmonies and folk-pop arrangements, Ivan and Alyosha’s performance proved one of their most lively sets to date, as they bounced across the stage whilst diving into a setlist that featured songs “Easy To Love,” “Fathers Be Kind,” and the infectiously upbeat single, “Running For Cover,” the latter of which could prove to be their breakout hit.
Like Orlowski, Ivan and Alyosha’s songs are (generally) feel good, pop-infused folk with thoughtful lyrics, surging with guitar-driven instrumentation and a warm blend of vocals. They’re the type of songs, that on first listen, feel a little too familiar. Then you see them live, among kindred spirits, and your hooked.
The thing about these acts is that both, for the most part, seem perfectly content existing within the vibrant, yet restricted Seattle scene. But on Saturday night, playing to a sold-out crowd with such vigor and energy and sweat – their performance suggested something more. Sure, these fellas could remain the city’s best kept secret, playing to rooms full of familiar faces – but they shouldn’t. Because they could be stars.
