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What measure is a supergroup? Is it a statement about the quality of the band itself? Do the members of the band have to be famous? Is it just the bands they come from that have to be famous? Does anyone involved need to be famous? Is it an outdated term? Is it pejorative? All these questions do need to be at least pondered, as in the most literal, basic sense possible, Sylvan Esso are a supergroup. This is because the band is made up of people who are in other bands that have gone on to have some success themselves. Supergroup. However, I don’t think this sits quite well with Sylvan Esso as a band, as they are far more than the sum of their parts.
For one thing, this is no busman’s holiday where musos can kickback and make whatever self-indulgent claptrap they want without the interference of a record label or existing fan base. Both members of the band are risking a lot and this can be seen even in something as simple as their sound. The duo is made up of singer Amelia Meath, whose day job is singing in the close harmony folk trio Mountain Man, and producer Nick Sanborn, who plays in psychedelic folkers Megafaun. One look at that line up and you’d expect the results to at least feature some form of acoustic instrument, right? You’d be wrong, however. Sylvan Esso are a synthpop band, and against all probability, they’re a great one at that.
While Sanborn might have been known for playing in Mountain Man, he also had a lesser-spotted side project as an electronic producer. While playing on the same bill as Mountain Man he struck up a friendship with Meath, who asked him if he wanted to remix their song “Play It Right”. They were both so impressed with the result that they made time in their busy schedule to work on something bigger, and by 2013 they had holed up in Durham, North Carolina to make an album together. The album was released the year after and instantly became the most commercially succesful thing that either artist had ever been involved with, charting in the top 40 on the Billboard 200 and the top ten on the independent album charts.
Now that Megafaun are no more and Mountain Man are on hiatus, the stage is set for big things from this most unique of bands. They’ve already made their television debut on Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show and have found themselves sharing a label with John Grant and The Dismemberment Plan and the sky’s the limit from here. So in all, it doesn’t matter what a Supergroup means or doesn’t mean, what matters is the music. Sylvan Esso’s is brilliantly unique and comes highly recommended.
Live reviews
Overall, they offered a great great show through beautiful thoughtful music. It was one of the few times when I was able to feel the performer having such a great time on stage, maybe even more than the lot of us spectators.
Somehow the energy in this duo has now transferred to a much bigger crew. I was afraid the shift from duo with all synth music to a multi-instrument band was going to erode its very essence and kill the vibe; to my surprise not only this didn't happen but effectively gave the sound a new positive dimension.
Amelia's charisma and energetic quirky dance moves makes you shake and jump, and that leads me to perhaps its the only down point of the night: a venue with seats doesn't do the trick. I felt kinda trapped between the seats.
Sylvan Esso is dance music. It makes you feel things, feel your body and to want to share that emotion with your friends and/or partner.
Very grateful to be a part of it.
guillermo-zapiola
This is the third time I’ve seen Sylvan Esso in concert and they get better every time! Amelia’s voice is so engaging and hypnotic at times. This concert in particular was really special. The venue was amazing historic and the sound quality was stunning. There was not a bad seat in the house. It was also amazing to see them play with a whole band and backup singers. It just goes tot show how versatile their music is. I brought a couple of friends with me and this was their first time even hearing of Sylvan Esso. They are now big fans. The light design is also remarkable, it really enhances the feel of each song. Love SE and will be seeing them again the very next opportunity I have.
madison-richardson
Incredible performance. We got there early to check out the theater and have a few drinks but we probably should have waited. I had been awake since 5am and so when the opener came on at 9 and played an hour of what can only be described as "music" I was starting to fade. But once Sylvan Esso hit the stage, everything changed. They were well worth the wait. The room was packed to the gills with a lively crowd. The band was into it. The light display was amazing. They played every song on their album as well as a new one that had people dancing up the walls and a Feist cover of "Sea Lion" that I'm not sure people recognized but got a great response nonetheless.
Great show. Go see it.
ryan-cuming
It's been years since I've been to a show that was this good. The lighting was on point. The synergy between the two performers was the reason to see live performances. She kept the energy going the whole show and the audience knew enough of the songs to provide that call and response energy.
The sound for the opener was questionable though. The had fills to the left and right of center stage but it's like they weren't being used until Sylvan Esso took the stage. I'm sure if I hadn't been front row it would have sounded better but that's the price you pay to actually see artists play rather than just hear them.
mitenka-fyodorovich
WOW. I can hardly put down in writing how high-quality and high-energy this concert was. I was expecting Sylvan Esso to be *good*, of course, but the excitement that was present in Marathon Music Works that night was something other than else. The singer's engagement with the crowd was just the cherry on top... I'm shocked at myself for saying this, but I think Sylvan Esso was the best indie show I've ever seen—even better than Neutral Milk Hotel. The energy of the crowd played a large part in this, but that doesn't take away from the fact that these two are awesome performers.
bwheaton5
I attended the music tastes good festival here in long beach, it was an amazing experience that showcased many legendary performances. My favorite set by far was Sylvan Esso's beautiful vocals, their cultural awareness, and their hypnotic rhythms. I've been a fan of their music since I first heard them perform on last night with jimmy Fallon when they debuted their sing Coffee. All in all Sylvan Esso connected to the audience as well as feed the hungry souls of those that needed it.
brandon-alexander-en
Such an amazing show last night seeing Sylvan Esso! They played so many of my favorite songs. The performers included ncik and Amelia plus what seemed like numerous of their friends on stage including 2 drummers and the other female two vocalists from Mountain Man. They had great energy on stage and the light show was really fun. The merchandise was pretty great! Good selection, though the t-shirt designs were not very exciting. They had almost a dozen vinyls to choose from.
brownsz23
Sylvan Esso, live at the Jefferson Theater.
Larger than imaginations preceding the show!
Amelia and Nick are like a well polished force of creativity, every bit as fun, sonically visceral, and energetic as we could hope for.
Pure enjoyment.
As expected, the crowd was a mixed bag.
The drive back home was also fun. Talking about what a great show we had just experienced, hand in hand for a few hours is nothing short of wonderful.
Definitely would see them again!
jonathan-fobbs
Sylvan Esso's performance was spot on. They really seemed to enjoy themselves while on stage, which brought the energy up in place by a lot during the songs. The place way packed, but this did not stop a lot of people everywhere from dancing which was nice because everyone was into it. They played a new song that has not been released, but Amelia also forgot the words after the first verse of Play it right (not to sure if that was the song).
All in all, it was awesome.
Joconnor610
AMAZING! This is my third time seeing Sylvan Esso live and they never fail to bring the most fun, positive energy to the stage. It was kind of crazy to see them perform in front of such a large crowd but also awesome. What Now is a great album and I'm so happy I got to see them perform it live. Would definitely recommend seeing them live if you get the chance!
ek11530
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