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Posted on April 18, 2019
Bad Sounds and Broods made their way to Chicago on Wednesday, April 10 for their Don’t Feed the Pop Monster Spring 2019 Tour. The show was held at the Metro with a capacity of 1,100 people, and was nearly sold out.
Broods is a New Zealand brother-sister duo consisting of Georgia Josiena Nott and Caleb Allan Joseph Nott. Their work typically blends elements of pop, indie, and electronica to create a unique and ethereal sound.
I first discovered Broods back in 2015 when Troye Sivan featured them on his song, Ease. Georgia’s airy silk-like vocals instantly pulled me in and I have been a fan ever since.
This recent tour I got to catch them on (also my first time seeing them live) was in support of their newly released junior album, Don’t Feed the Pop Monster.
The night started off with the opening band, Bad Sounds. Going into the night I had never heard of Bad Sounds, but by the end of their set, they were PopTara certified. Despite their name, Bad Sound actually had some good sounds (yes that was funny).
Band Sounds is an alt-pop group from the UK. The band consists of five members, brothers Ewan and Callum, and Charlie, Olivia (I really appreciate a girl drummer), and Sam.
Their colorful aesthetic was pleasing to watch and their sound had a unique and distinctive flair that really made it memorable. At times it sounded as if they were pulling inspiration from hip-hop and R&B roots and adding some pop to it, and am I here for it!
Overall, Bad Sounds was simply fun and different, and I suggest giving them a listen.
Moving on to the main act, Broods appeared on stage opening with Sucker. “I’m just a sucker for everything / I catch the bug / get sick, get well / Get sick, get well, get sick, get well / But I’ll always go back to the simple things / My Stevie and Sting.”
Georgia was dressed in a mustard yellow leather two-piece set with a ’60s inspired floral tank top underneath. Caleb matched the color scheme with a futuristic pair of overalls and a red beanie — both of them setting the tone for the night.
Having the show be an 18 only crowd allowed for the atmosphere of the night to be refreshingly relaxed. Given that most GA shows I have attended consist of shoving and literally murdering each other, it was nice actually being able to just breathe in the music and enjoy the show.
The group played a total of 20 songs:
1) Sucker 11) Too Proud
2) To Belong 12) Falling Apart
3) Eyes a Mess 13) Dust
4) Everytime You Go 14) Bridges
5) Superstar 15) Hospitalized
6) Why Do You Believe Me? 16) Old Dog
7) Hold the Line 17) Everything Goes(Wow)
8) Are You Home 18) Life After
9) L.A.F 19) Peach
10) Free 20) Couldn’t Believe
Georgia’s stage presence seemed so natural. Her movements, her live vocals, her interaction with the crowd — none of it seemed forced, and the audience could clearly see that both she and Caleb really enjoy doing what they do.
One song from the night that really caught my attention was their performance of, Why Do You Believe Me? Going back to my previous comment about their presence being so natural, this song in particular really highlighted that.
Georgia’s stripped down vocals on that track presented authentic emotion and vulnerability with lyrics such as, “Why do you believe me when I say I’ve got it all? / Maybe ’cause I laugh and get back up each time I fall / Why do you believe me when I say I’m in control? / I don’t wanna sleep tonight, I feel nothing at all.”
L.A.F was another song performed that night that struck a chord in me — but for more nostalgic reasons. Broods released L.A.F back in 2014 on their debut album, Evergreen, and has become one of their most streamed songs.
Hearing the song live for my first time gave me a full circle moment of looking at where I am today compared to where I was almost 4 years ago when I was listening to that song every single morning while getting ready to go to high school.
Judging on the crowd’s reaction when L.A.F started to play, I think everyone who is a fan of Broods felt that sense of nostalgia as well. There was a bittersweet feel-good presence in the air, and it created a moment of everyone coming together to dance and celebrate the iconic song.
“Kissin’ in the hallway / Turn off all the lights / Fragments of a lost love / Dissolve into the night / And I’ll never get this feeling out of my head /And I’ll never wanna be the one you forget.”
As the night continued on after L.A.F, the energy remained on a high. There was never a dull a moment during the show, and Georgia and Caleb always had the audience’s attention.
Bridges was another track the group played that gave off that same nostalgic-heartache-mixed-with-euphoria feeling. “And we’re burning all the bridges now / Watching it go up in flames / No way to build it up again / And we’re burning all the bridges / Burning all the bridges now.”
Besides the lyrical message of reminiscing about people from the past, this song also holds nostalgia in the fact that it was the leading single from Brood’s very first ever released EP.
As the beat dropped in the chorus, the crowd’s hands went up and another moment of bonding was formed.
Hospitalized (my personal favorite from their most recent album) added on to the dance party as well. The room lit up in neon green and the looks on everyone’s face proved how special and how fun of a show this truly was.
“This bass is nutritious / Tasty and delicious / Exceptionally vicious, yeah / Everybody feels this / ‘Cause I feel like I’m broken, but I’ve never got a reason / So I’m gonna jump, I’m gonna push myself until I get hospitalized.”
Overall, all of my expectations of what a Broods show would consist of were beyond exceeded. Georgia’s vocals sounded just a gracious in person as it does on the recordings. The moments where Caleb had the chance to show off his vocals were brilliant as well.
The visuals of the night were simple yet effective. A screen appeared in the back with what looked to be a silhouette of a sun setting on the beach, changing colors when appropriate with the song — very fitting for the summery vibe that Don’t Feed The Pop Monster gives off.
The interesting thing about this show was that despite the dancing and excitement from the crowd, the atmosphere still felt very comfortable and relaxed.
I stand by the fact that Broods is one of the most authentic and genuine pop groups out there. There was not a single moment in the night that seemed out of place or as if they were trying too hard (literally made performing look so effortless).
They are not a group that is in it for the fame or for the money. They care about the music and just want to share their art with the world, and I appreciate that so much.
Broods has been a group that has soundtracked some of the softer sides and moments of my life these past few years (I still swear Four Walls will be my wedding song, still kinda bummed they didn’t play it). From heartbreaks to moving and everything in between, Broods’ music has always been something I could rely on, and I am so glad I finally got to experience them live — and I strongly encourage you to go check them out if you ever have the opportunity.
Broods’ Don’t Feed The Pop Monster Spring 2019 Tour: 10/10
[ALL PHOTOS IN THIS BLOG WERE TAKEN BY TARA BOLAR]
My name is Tara and I put out articles for UIC Radio on whatever day I can. I’m a media communication and professional writing major at the University of Illinois at Chicago. I host a pop music show, PopTara, on UIC Radio every Wednesday from 8:30pm-10:30pm. If you want to keep up with my saucy life you can follow me here:
twitter – @phemebot
music instagram – @lyricsbytara
personal instagram – @tarapheme
facebook – @PopTara
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