Live: Sylvan Esso in Phoenix

Indie-pop duo Sylvan Esso brought vibrant energy to Downtown Phoenix’s new venue The Van Buren for a night full of smooth groovin’ and electric vocals. But before the captivating headliner took the stage, the audience was presented with opener Flock of Dimes. This incredible one-woman show cultivated by Jenn Wasner started slow and quickly worked up to a colorful sound during her set. Her smooth vocals ricocheted off the walls and into the very beings of the crowd. Wasner was an excellent opener for Sylvan Esso with her chill vibes and light sound. Her musicianship was prominent throughout the whole show as she utilized her equipment to make her songs sound like a whole band was onstage. Wasner’s vocals were so effortless and her energy really came through when she was playing the keys. At one point, she stepped away from her instruments and got really close to the crowd, engaging them a step further. Fans were bopping along and carried a very relaxed vibe throughout the opening performance that made for an enjoyable set. Wasner’s animated energy and unique sound was just enough to intrigue the audience so they could absorb her music instead of drifting it to the background. The vibe completely changed once Sylvan Esso hit the stage. What was once a chill Sunday night concert quickly turned into a huge dance party full of incredible lights, pulsing arms, clapping hands, and belting voices. The whole venue erupted into movin’ and groovin’ as members Amelia Meath and Nick Sanborn performed their flawless set. From the incredible stage set up to their insane stage presence, the duo kept the audience energized the whole way. Meath and Sanborn made great use of fast and slow energy. When a song would speed up, they would go right with it giving their performance everything they had, expressing themselves not only with sound but with movement. When a song would slow down, they would make each movement and sound work together to energize even the quietest moments of the set. The duo would stop between songs to talk with the crowd, and Meath even took out her phone and recorded a video of the crowd singing “Happy Birthday” to her mom. Each fan felt like they were a part of the show, and they certainly weren’t afraid to belt out those lyrics. Sylvan Esso really raised the bar in Phoenix tonight and The Van Buren presented an impressive new space for fans to experience artists and for artists to experience fans. See you next time, Sylvan Esso! -Emma Sounart