Sylvan Esso at Hollywood Palladium — Photo: Ceethreedom

Sylvan Esso and Flock of Dimes satiate a full house at Hollywood Palladium

Last Friday night the indie-pop duo, Sylvan Esso, played to a sold out crowd at the Hollywood Palladium. This show would mark my third time that I covered them since their beginnings. The very first time I saw them, I wasn’t terribly familiar with them but was so blown away that I bought their record at the show, something I VERY rarely do. By the second time around, Sylvan Esso had hit their stride, singer Amelia Meath and producer/conductor, Nick Sanborn, were on fire with a more refined set.

This last show at The Palladium was no different. Having toured consistently for the last several years, Sylvan Esso is a well oiled machine.

Opening for Sylvan Esso was label mate, Flock of Dimes aka Jenn Wasner, of Wye Oak fame. A master of her craft, Jenn moved seamlessly between playing guitar, bass, and keys. Her performance was so impressive, I had people coming up to me asking about her as if I was some kind of insider. Wasner’s chilled out beats and powerful-yet-sweet voice was the perfect warm up to the Sylvan Esso show.

Sylvan Esso at Hollywood Palladium — Photo: Ceethreedom

Amelia brought the heat with her signature slinky dance moves and her vocals sounded better than ever. Nick, hovering over his setup like a praying mantis, masterfully manipulated their low-fi yet polished beats. The chemistry between Amelia and Nick is electric, you can just see it as they lock eyes from across the stage, communicating on a whole other level. They were so in tune with each other that at times it seemed like they are oblivious to the fact that they are performing in front of nearly 4,000 people. Their energy is so infectious you just can’t help but have a great time because it’s obvious that they are.

Starting off the set was “Sound” from their last full length, What Now. While this was my least favorite track off the record, hearing it live brought a greater appreciation for it. Immediately jumping into “Hey Mami” brought the crowd to life. As soon as that first chorus hit, you couldn’t even hear Amelia over the singing of the fans. The energy in the front was ferocious with fans going wild and screaming whenever Amelia would start busting moves between singing. After the standard first-three-songs, I moved to the back to get a bigger picture of the show. It was awesome to see such a diverse crowd getting down to Sylvan Esso. The floor was so packed it was nearly impossible to navigate. When older songs like “Coffee” and my personal favorite, “Dress” hit, people were going bonkers. Everywhere I looked, people were dancing. While the older songs had a little more of a impact, newer songs like “Signal”, “Slack Jaw” and “Radio” really demonstrated the growth and of the band. Amelia and Nick ended their set with the song that started it all, “Play it Right”, making for a picture perfect ending to an incredible night of music and dancing.

Words & Photography: Ceethreedom