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Tour Dates
03/20 Chicago, IL @ Schubas
03/21 Chicago, IL @ Schubas 03/27 Philadelphia, PA @ World Cafe Live 03/28 Vienna, VA @ Jammin' Java 03/29 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom Read More
Singer Valeska Steiner (Swiss) and bassist Sonja Milena Glass (German) met randomly at a music course 8 years ago, initially playing concerts exclusively ..…
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After 7 million views on YouTube of their single ‘Little Numbers’, a Lufthansa commercial, and riding the ‘Current Effect’ (aka local awareness/buzz accelerated by airplay on the local public radio station), German/Swiss pop/folk duo BOY finally came to the Twin Cities, playing the 2nd of two sold-out shows at the Cedar Cultural Center on a brutally cold Tuesday night.
Valeska Steiner and Sonja Glass brought only guitarist Deniz Erarslan and a laptop supplying beats, to accompany this stripped-down version of the band, playing an intimate acoustic performance that was just short of an hour. Staging was minimal, with the Cedar’s house lights on each end of the stage, remaining dim for most of their set.
The night began atmospherically, with Erarslan entering solo to get seated at his back station of pedals, guitars, and percussion, deadpanning ‘…I am BOY…!’ which got the audience laughing immediately. Soon after, Steiner and Glass entered, beginning the set with the unreleased “Into the Wild”, then into their latest gentle single, “Drive Darling”.
“Waitress” was prefaced by Steiner asking the audience if anyone had ever worked a job they didn't like, and it seemed like the majority of the crowd nodded in affirmation, and the delicate “Boris” told a narrative tale about being hit on by an acquaintance, while a boyfriend was out of town.
The performance crescendo’d with the infectious single about waiting for a desperate call, “Little Numbers” beginning as a piano-hand clap that had the audience singing along and stomping in time.
After a very brief pause, the threesome returned to the stage for a two-song encore, beginning with the quiet, older track “Zapping” and ending with a novel and appropriate cover of The Black Keys’ “Lonely Boy”, though after their raucous reception, they won’t have any problem with loneliness in the Minneapolis area.
Both seemed genuinely surprised and pleased at the size of crowd and affection shown, and the audience’s love for the band was further proven by the merch stand completely selling out of product after the show. Definitely an act to watch in the future, and for fans of Feist, Regina Spektor, Jenny Lewis, and general alt-pop goodness.
Valeska Steiner and Sonja Glass brought only guitarist Deniz Erarslan and a laptop supplying beats, to accompany this stripped-down version of the band, playing an intimate acoustic performance that was just short of an hour. Staging was minimal, with the Cedar’s house lights on each end of the stage, remaining dim for most of their set.
The night began atmospherically, with Erarslan entering solo to get seated at his back station of pedals, guitars, and percussion, deadpanning ‘…I am BOY…!’ which got the audience laughing immediately. Soon after, Steiner and Glass entered, beginning the set with the unreleased “Into the Wild”, then into their latest gentle single, “Drive Darling”.
“Waitress” was prefaced by Steiner asking the audience if anyone had ever worked a job they didn't like, and it seemed like the majority of the crowd nodded in affirmation, and the delicate “Boris” told a narrative tale about being hit on by an acquaintance, while a boyfriend was out of town.
The performance crescendo’d with the infectious single about waiting for a desperate call, “Little Numbers” beginning as a piano-hand clap that had the audience singing along and stomping in time.
After a very brief pause, the threesome returned to the stage for a two-song encore, beginning with the quiet, older track “Zapping” and ending with a novel and appropriate cover of The Black Keys’ “Lonely Boy”, though after their raucous reception, they won’t have any problem with loneliness in the Minneapolis area.
Both seemed genuinely surprised and pleased at the size of crowd and affection shown, and the audience’s love for the band was further proven by the merch stand completely selling out of product after the show. Definitely an act to watch in the future, and for fans of Feist, Regina Spektor, Jenny Lewis, and general alt-pop goodness.
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BOY at Cedar Cultural Center, Minneapolis (03/19/13) |
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