Concert Review: Bailen Take Over Bowery Ballroom
With not even a debut out, Bailen filled Bowery Ballroom, to their own surprise. The sibling band are one of THE BEST country-folk-rock groups you will ever see, despite, not having much material out there. Yet, Sofar Sounds has, thankfully, put this group on the map, and they will make you “bailar” all over it.
Bailen have a Dixie Chicks style of rock n’ roll that makes you want to throw rocks at Life’s glass houses and not care how it breaks. I mentioned it with Larkin Poe, and Bailen achieve the same accomplishment; they make their viewers want to confront life. Now this may not seem like a big deal, but part of why we love music is that it is an escape from reality. Yet, Bailen makes you want to drive right towards it. From “I Was Wrong” to “Something Tells Me,” I kept on envisioning myself driving down a road and seeing Life, in human form, put a fork right in it. Yet, instead of crying or crumbling, I revved up the gas/ Bailen’s music.
Acoustically, Bailen feel epic; striking guitar melodies like they are The Hammers of Thor. Their capacity to make the simplest self-doubt feel like well-fought odyssey you have conquered is brilliant, and why their show was so packed. The audience was there to get new material as well as the few, online gems that have solidified Bailen as ones to watch. The crowd was NOT disappointed, and the siblings poured their heart and humor unto the stage to their laughs and glee.
Bailen are, constantly, bantering, which ignites the giggles and sporadic “Woos!” of the audience. They come off as your casual friends that, by chance, can beat a drum like a war machine or belt a note like a power ballad. Julia Bailen has a voice that feels like Joni Mitchell and Laura Nyro’s voices were melted and molded together to create hers. She comes off so simple, but then delivers a high, long-ranging note that gives you chills. Her brothers follow suit in delivering impressive vocality and musicianship, all while thanking their mother for giving birth to them. (lol!) We thank her, too. For More Information On Bailen Click Here.
