Milky Chance w/ the Other Band
Showbox SoDo, Seattle, WA
10.23.17

Alternative concerts usually keep to the basics: drums, vocals, bass, and a guitar or two; but not a Milky Chance show. The German duo has all the standards, sure, but they mix it up right from the start by including genre-defying saxophone parts and extended harmonica solos, and it doesn’t even stand out as weird.

Opening the show at Seattle’s Showbox SoDo was Gene Evaro Jr. His live performance and his recorded music nearly sound like two different artists. On his albums, most of the music is pretty chill, mellow r&b or pop stuff. Live, all of that was lost and the performance was a wild cross between improve jazz club music, pop, and alternative. Whipping his long, curly hair around to saxophone and drum solos, Evaro and the band performed a wild set that no one saw coming, but definitely didn’t disappoint.

Finally returning for the first time in over two years, Milky Chance made another Seattle appearance in support of their Blossom album. Their sophomore album continues to branch further away from traditional alt-folk music, and put their gravelly vocals, bongo breaks, and harmonica solos to the test.

The performance was a continuous stream from one song to another, as the mellow crowd swayed along to whatever song, old or new, came next. It was the perfect performance for a Tuesday night that you didn’t have to get too invested in, well done and engaging, but serving to just mindlessly enjoy with the people around you and have a good time.

Other than “Stolen Dance” and “Cocoon,” their most notable tracks, it’s hard to really pick a highlight of the night because the crowd just floated along happily through the whole performance. Every track had some pang of familiarity, making them easy to dance to.

We learned a couple German words, enjoyed instrumentals not typically found among alternative stages, and danced all night with Milky Chance. These guys had such a nice performance—laidback, but so well done that each track built up and fell seamlessly into the next, carrying the crowd along with it. The tropical vibes and raspy vocals brought home the performance, leaving fans sweaty and happy at the end of the night.

Review by Lulu Dawson
Photos by Phillip Johnson

Milky Chance


Gene Evaro Jr.