Concert Review: The Joy Formidable Form Joy At MHOW
Facts! I love seeing old people at concerts. I know that is a strange thing to say, but, so often, concerts can feel ageist. Anyone below 21 or above 51 feels not allowed, but The Joy Formidable go beyonds years, especially to their loyalists. At Music Hall of Williamsburg, they showed the best way to last in the music industry is to sing to how you last as a human being.
Maybe, I am being “punny,” but The Joy Formidable truly sing to how joy forms or can be a formidable force against all the things that enrage you. Make no mistake! Joy is a challenge, and tracks like, “The Wrong Side,” “Whirring,” and “Cicada (Land on Your Back)” paint the search for happiness like a literal metaphor. Their lyrics are fantasy based, but their melodies can feel drawn from the earth’s soil. In a way, they take your head and bury it in sand-castles, which is how life can feel. The biggest struggle anyone, pass the age of 10, will suffer is realizing you still have to say “Yes!” to yourself even though the world is packed with “No’s!” aimed at your direction. Hence, their chemistry as a group is so important.
There is a solidity/ solidarity to their presence that is enamoring. Something that I felt with previous groups like, Beastie Boys and Saint Etienne .They make each other laugh, love, and be creative. They play their songs like a group of music siblings deciding to jam at a family reunion; with ease, fun, and trust in each other. This type of dynamic is incredibly inviting because, by the end of the night, you are apart of the family. You start to think you are “one of them,” and wish you could grab a guitar and wail through songs such as, “Buoy” and “The Better Me.” This is an exceptional, grounding effect because their music can feel so mystical and dark like a Marvel action sequence has been clipped into a film noir. #exhilarating
The Joy Formidable are a force in sound and performance, of which their genuine friendship/ unity as a group feels like pockets of breath flowed into their set. Never underestimate how much liking and displaying your like for your bandmates affects your audience. Going to a concert, we already know you are talented. Your show is simply a test to see if you are personable; if the visions your music has sparked match the heart we will meet. For The Joy Formidable, it is a beautiful match! For More Information On The Joy Formidable Click Here.
