Grouplove’s appearance at The Complex last night was met not much unlike how most teen-friendly acts are met at an SLC concert—with enthusiastic hopping just for its own sake, and lots of cheering whenever the lead singer would utter a swear word. That aside, their set seemed to favor die-hard followers, leaving everyone else just eagerly anticipating the arrival of “Tongue Tied.”
Attending their show, it would appear that appreciating the band’s studio recordings and enjoying their stage show are mutually exclusive things – which isn’t really a bad thing. Their music is inherently dancy, fun, and poppy; Hannah and Christian’s matching bobs and wedding dress getups accented these trademarks quite entertainingly. And their stage show seemed to be the main draw for most of the audience.
For the rest, there was a setlist that largely comprised their more esoteric, high-octane numbers. Big Mess is a somewhat demure and more melodic departure from their prior 2 albums: highlights came in the form of Hannah’s sugary vocals in “Spinning” and the anthemic chorus of “Standing in the Sun.”
Openers Muna were a little confusing but likewise fun to watch. The gals seemed to have a habit of huddling together and jamming, which made for good photo ops. Frontwoman Katie Gavin looked like a veritable martian with her bowl ‘do and shimmery tarp dress. The vocals were forgettable (and were reminiscent of the Cranberries, remarked one spectator); mostly, it was the way Gavin slithered around the stage that captivated our gaze.
For more photos of the show, go here.
—Charissa Che
