When you have been married almost 23 years and your spouse is also your concert buddy, you learn to compromise. Sometimes we go to shows for artists that I primarily like. Other times we go to shows for artists that he primarily likes. Luckily, our musical tastes are pretty similar, so most of the live shows we see are for artists we both agree on.
Broods definitely falls into the category of “the ones he primarily likes”. Don’t get me wrong. I like some of their stuff, but they aren’t high enough on my list to want to spend money to go see them in concert.
But, my husband loves Georgia’s voice. So when they come to town, we have to go see them.
This is the first time I’ve seen them as a headliner. So, will Broods deliver a good show? Will my husband be happy or disappointed? Keep reading to find out!
This content uses referral links. Read our Affiliate Disclosure statement for more info. Making purchases after having followed one of these links will benefit me, but costs you nothing extra. Thanks for clicking!
THE VENUE
Union Transfer is one of my favorite venues in Philly. It’s small, so there isn’t a bad spot to see a show. I also like the fact that they have elevated standing areas on each side of the room, which allows you to stay out of the big crowd on the main floor. The balcony is also a great way to see a show.
To read more about Union Transfer – including some of my tips and tricks – check out my previous blog post on the venue:
Union Transfer – Philadelphia
THE SHOW
BAD SOUNDS
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Bad Sounds are based out of Bath in England. The band is made up of Ewan, Callum, Charlie, Olivia and Sam. Their debut album – Get Better – is out now!
THE PERFORMANCE
Bad Sounds took the stage at 8:30 p.m. I have to admit – I went into this show not expecting a lot. My concern was that the music would be too “poppy” for me.
Bad Sounds took the stage at 8:30 p.m and got the crowd dancing!
I was pleasantly surprised that I really enjoyed Bad Sounds. They are a bit rough around the edges, but that will improve as they gain experience. Their music is a bit “poppy”, but they are a lot of fun. Most impressively, their drummer – Olivia – is kick ass! Don’t let her pig tails fool you!
After letting the crowd know that it was their first time in Philly, the band went right into the show. Their second song – “Zacariah” – was pretty representative of their sound.
Brothers Ewan and Callum shared lead singing duties. The younger girls in the crowd seemed to really enjoy both of them, but took a particular liking to Callum.
Before Bad Sounds wrapped up their set, they thanked Broods for bringing them out on tour with them. Not only was it their first time in Philly, it was also their first time in the U.S. I think if they stick with it and continue to hit the road, they are going to gain some fans here. Their energy is off the charts!
Bad Sounds are a ton of fun! I think they’ll find a fan base quickly.
Bad Sounds are wrapping up their tour supporting Broods. You can keep up on any upcoming shows, as well as their new music, on their website.
BROODS
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Broods (note – it’s not “The Broods” as my husband often corrects me) is a sister/brother duo out of New Zealand. Georgia Josiena Nott provides the lead vocals, and her brother Caleb Allan Joseph Nott is on production and back-up vocals. He also plays multiple instruments.
Brother/sister duo Georgia and Caleb of Broods take the stage at Union Transfer on Tuesday night.
The siblings have performed together since they were children – whether at family weddings or in church. While attending college, they formed an indie rock band called The Peasants. The band broke up in 2012.
Georgia and Caleb decided to stick together and formed Broods in 2013. Their first single “Bridges”, was a hit and led to a deal with Capitol Records by the end of 2013.
Broods released their self-titled EP in January of 2014. With the release of the EP, Broods set their sites on the U.S. They toured as openers for both Ellie Goulding and Sam Smith, as well as making their television debut on Late Night with Seth Meyers.
In August of 2014, Broods released their debut album – Evergreen – which won a number of awards at the New Zealand Music Awards, including Album of the Year. The release of the album led to their first headlining tour of North America.
Anxious to keep the momentum going, Broods released their second album – Conscious – in June of 2016. The duo decided to move to Los Angeles to focus on continuing to gain traction in the U.S. Broods also continued to hit the road, including supporting Two Door Cinema Club.
In February of this year, Broods release their third album – Don’t Feed The Pop Monster.
THE PERFORMANCE
Broods took the stage shortly after 9:30 p.m. Georgia and Caleb took center stage and were accompanied by their drummer and another musician on guitar/keyboard.
Georgia and Caleb were joined by a drummer and guitar/keyboard player during their show.
Before I get to the negatives, let me cover the positives. Broods really put on an entertaining show that made their fans very happy. Most of their music is upbeat, and I had people all around me dancing and singing.
The crowd wasn’t big enough to fill the room, but the fans that were there loved every minute of the show!
Georgia is high energy and all over the stage, as you can see from her performance of their song “To Belong”.
Now for the negative. They are way too over-processed. In fact, there were times when I questioned whether or not Georgia was even singing or anyone was actually playing their instrument.
Georgia of Broods has an amazing voice. I would have liked them to highlight it more during the show.
I get that their music requires backing vocals to be played. But, there were opportunities for them to lay off the backing vocals and just let Georgia sing. The backing vocals overpowered her live vocals. As my husband said, it was almost like listening to a recording, with Georgia just filling in live vocals in a few places.
There was also an odd moment toward the end of the show, when Georgia disappeared from the stage and re-appeared on top of this platform and sang one song. It was kind of a cool visual, but seemed a bit cheesy and out of place.
Georgia sang from the top of this platform during one song in the show. It didn’t really seem to fit with the rest of the show.
Broods have a lot of talent, but I think they need to figure out their musical identity. Do they want to be the “Georgia show”, and let her dance around the stage with a recording providing most of the vocals? Or, do they want to be a legitimate live band that can impress a room with their musical talent and Georgia’s powerful voice?
I hope that by the next time they come around, they’ve figured out their identity.
Here’s hoping Broods have figured out their musical identity by the next time they come around.
Broods are wrapping up their headlining North America tour. In May, they are heading back to New Zealand, with shows lined up there and in Australia. You can keep up with their tour on their website.
Set List (click on any link to purchase the song directly on Amazon): Sucker, To Belong, Eyes A Mess, Everytime You Go, Superstar, Why Do You Believe Me?, Hold The Line, Are You Home, L.A.F., Free, Too Proud, Falling Apart, Dust, Bridges, Hospitalized, Old Dog, Everything Goes (Wow), Life After, Peach, Couldn’t Believe
Are you a fan of Broods? Have you seen them on this tour? Let us know what you think by commenting below or e-mailing me at tips2livebywriter@gmail.com.
Did you like what you read? Want to keep up on live music, food, drink and travel? Make sure you follow us on social media. Click the links on the top of the homepage to follow where we are, what we are eating and drinking, and what live music we are listening to!